February 20, 2026
Selwyn Water Limited looks set to stay, despite ongoing grumblings about it being disestablished before it sends out its first bill.
Selwyn Water Limited has been established as a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) to deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the Selwyn District under the Government’s water done well legislation.
Its establishment was mired in controversy when the last council voted 6-5 in favour of the CCO model in April last year, despite about 87% of public submissions being against the proposal and in favour of keeping water services in-house.
Selwyn Water has now been established and around $101b in assets transferred to the CCO to take over billing for drinking and waste water from July 1.
The council and Selwyn Water recently confirmed they were working to resolve a number of issues identified through the asset transfer.
It has renewed concern in the community and led to Zoran Rakovich fronting the council in the public forum on February 11.
Rakovich failed in his council election bid last year and is now standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming general election.
He held a public meeting in Lincoln the night before to discuss Selwyn Water with members of the community, with several councillors attending.
He said he perceives the mood in the community is “there is a sense that Selwyn Water Limited is a lingering sour point”.
“The concern is about distance, opacity, and the feeling that decisions are drifting away from the people who pay the bills and live with the consequences.”
There were only two options to proceed, and both involve more detail and transparency, he said.
“If the council believes that continuing Selwyn Water Limited is the right long-term solution, then the public deserves a clear, detailed, and accessible analysis of the financial implications.
"The other option is liquidation of Selwyn Water Limited.
“It is understood that this would come with financial pain. I believe that the community should be presented with a clear financial picture of this option too, to either see the futility of what is now the entrenched situation or accept the financial pain and push for liquidation.
“The community deserves the full picture, regardless of whether Selwyn Water Limited is ultimately disestablished or retained.”
Mayor Lydia Gliddon said rough cost estimates to unwind Selwyn Water and replace with an in-house model – a standalone business unit – would be at least $15m.
She also noted that the cost probably isn’t the big enough hurdle as “the minister would have to sign off on that”.
Selwyn’s water services delivery plan, with its CCO model, got the Government rubber stamp under the Water Done Well legislation and Gliddon suggested the council would be hard pressed asking to reverse that agreement.
Gliddon said some of the concerns Rakovich raised were an issue of timing.
“I know that people are really keen and want to see the numbers, and we are aware people will see council rates and Selwyn Water rates still sitting together because it’s still a household bill.
“We are eagerly awaiting those numbers too.”
She said more will be known after the Selwyn Water board meeting on February 18.
The reason they don’t have a confirmed figure yet is because the asset transfer, from council to Selwyn Water, had identified inconsistencies in billing coverage and capital programme data that need to be validated first, Gliddon said.
“As this validation of data is taking place the numbers are constantly changing.
“Once that validation is complete, the figures will be shared,” Gliddon said.
By Jonathan Leask
Selwyn Water Limited looks set to stay, despite ongoing grumblings about it being disestablished before it sends out its first bill.
Selwyn Water Limited has been established as a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) to deliver drinking water and wastewater services across the Selwyn District under the Government’s water done well legislation.
Its establishment was mired in controversy when the last council voted 6-5 in favour of the CCO model in April last year, despite about 87% of public submissions being against the proposal and in favour of keeping water services in-house.
Selwyn Water has now been established and around $101b in assets transferred to the CCO to take over billing for drinking and waste water from July 1.
The council and Selwyn Water recently confirmed they were working to resolve a number of issues identified through the asset transfer.
It has renewed concern in the community and led to Zoran Rakovich fronting the council in the public forum on February 11.
Rakovich failed in his council election bid last year and is now standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming general election.
He held a public meeting in Lincoln the night before to discuss Selwyn Water with members of the community, with several councillors attending.
He said he perceives the mood in the community is “there is a sense that Selwyn Water Limited is a lingering sour point”.
“The concern is about distance, opacity, and the feeling that decisions are drifting away from the people who pay the bills and live with the consequences.”
There were only two options to proceed, and both involve more detail and transparency, he said.
“If the council believes that continuing Selwyn Water Limited is the right long-term solution, then the public deserves a clear, detailed, and accessible analysis of the financial implications.
"The other option is liquidation of Selwyn Water Limited.
“It is understood that this would come with financial pain. I believe that the community should be presented with a clear financial picture of this option too, to either see the futility of what is now the entrenched situation or accept the financial pain and push for liquidation.
“The community deserves the full picture, regardless of whether Selwyn Water Limited is ultimately disestablished or retained.”
Mayor Lydia Gliddon said rough cost estimates to unwind Selwyn Water and replace with an in-house model – a standalone business unit – would be at least $15m.
She also noted that the cost probably isn’t the big enough hurdle as “the minister would have to sign off on that”.
Selwyn’s water services delivery plan, with its CCO model, got the Government rubber stamp under the Water Done Well legislation and Gliddon suggested the council would be hard pressed asking to reverse that agreement.
Gliddon said some of the concerns Rakovich raised were an issue of timing.
“I know that people are really keen and want to see the numbers, and we are aware people will see council rates and Selwyn Water rates still sitting together because it’s still a household bill.
“We are eagerly awaiting those numbers too.”
She said more will be known after the Selwyn Water board meeting on February 18.
The reason they don’t have a confirmed figure yet is because the asset transfer, from council to Selwyn Water, had identified inconsistencies in billing coverage and capital programme data that need to be validated first, Gliddon said.
“As this validation of data is taking place the numbers are constantly changing.
“Once that validation is complete, the figures will be shared,” Gliddon said.
By Jonathan Leask
