Selwyn Water has formally acceded to the Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) and has been accepted as a member, marking an important milestone in the organisation’s establishment and its ability to fund future water infrastructure investment.
Selwyn Water’s accession to LGFA was completed on 8 April 2026, enabling the organisation to access long‑term, cost‑effective funding to support delivery of drinking water and wastewater services across the Selwyn district.
LGFA is a specialist funding agency established to raise debt on behalf of the New Zealand local government sector on more favourable terms than councils and council‑controlled organisations can typically access independently. LGFA is jointly owned by the New Zealand Government and participating councils, and benefits from a strong sovereign‑equivalent credit rating.
Access to LGFA funding supports Selwyn Water’s long‑term financial sustainability and helps ensure investment in essential water infrastructure can be delivered in a way that balances affordability, resilience, and regulatory compliance.
Over the next ten years, Selwyn Water expects to invest more than $600 million in capital infrastructure, to support growing communities, meet regulatory requirements, and maintain safe and reliable water and wastewater services.
Selwyn Water is one of a number of newly established water organisations formed under the Government’s Local Water Done Well reform programme. These reforms are designed to strengthen the delivery of water services by enabling councils to establish dedicated water organisations with greater scale, capability, and financial flexibility.
Selwyn Water was the first water organisation to be established under the Local Water Done Well framework, and its accession to LGFA represents another foundational step as it transitions to full operations.
Other water council‑controlled organisations are expected to accede to LGFA over the coming years, with up to eighteen water organisations anticipated to join by 1 July 2027.
Selwyn Water will continue to develop its investment planning and funding approach as part of its Water Services Strategy and in alignment with Selwyn District Council’s Long‑Term Plan, supported by community engagement and affordability considerations.