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Most urban properties in the Selwyn District will be hit with an 8.8% combined increase from council rates and Selwyn Water charges.
The rise is made up of a 4.5% increase in rates and an 18% increase in sewerage and drinking water charges from Selwyn Water Ltd.
The 8.8% weighted average is down from the 13.3% forecast in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan.
On Tuesday, the district council unanimously approved its Annual Plan, which sets out the rates increase and key spending priorities for the next 12 months.
Council owned company Selwyn Water’s board signed off its Water Services Strategy, similar to an annual plan, last week.
A rating example for an $820,000 home in Rolleston shows a council rates bill of $3198, an increase of $148 from last year.
The Selwyn Water bill for the same property will be $1831, including 257m³ of water, up $280 from what the council previously charged.
The volumetric charge has increased 18.4% from $1.25 to $1.48 a cubic metre.
For a property with only a drinking water connection, the Selwyn Water bill will be $879, an increase of $111.
Selwyn’s 8.8% increase sits above Christchurch’s 7.83% and Waimakariri’s 4.99%, but below Ashburton’s 9.15%. The national average is about 8.95%.
The district council’s Annual Plan forecasts $86.7 million in capital spending, with key projects including continued Lincoln town centre upgrades ($13.86m), replacement of Whitecliffs Bridge ($2.58m), and strengthening the Leeston Medical Centre and demolishing the attached library ($1.2m).
Selwyn Mayor Lydia Gliddon said she was proud of the work to find savings and the level of community engagement.
She said the Annual Plan marked the beginning of a direction change for the council, with a full reset to be undertaken as part of the 2027-37 Long Term Plan.
“We know we are working on the long-term plan and that is going to give this council, alongside our community, the opportunity to take a broader look at our priorities, to challenge our assumptions and continue building a council that delivers value for money while planning for growth and change.”
In 2026/27, Selwyn Water plans to spend $15.758m on water network upgrades to support growth and $24.194m on wastewater growth projects.
Selwyn Water chair Murray Strong said the strategy provides a clear and practical direction as the company begins operating independently.
“It reflects a disciplined approach to managing water infrastructure’s true cost, while ensuring we have time to continue the work needed over the next 12 months and return to the community with a more robust 10-year strategy.”
The company is planning to align its strategy with the council’s LTP.
The strategy follows community engagement in May, which drew 128 submissions. Feedback showed strong support for the overall direction, alongside a focus on affordability, fairness, and transparency.
“We heard clearly that people want confidence in how decisions are made, how money is spent, and what they can expect in the future,” Strong said.