Do you have a classifiable dam? Make sure you have notified the council and submitted your Dam Safety Assurance Plan to avoid an infringement notice.
Unsure if your dam counts? Check out MBIE’s new tool on Classification screening tools for Dams and Canals
New regulations to improve the resilience and maintenance of Aotearoa New Zealand’s dams have now been in force for a year. This means owners of ‘classifiable’ dams are now subject to additional responsibilities to protect people, property and the environment from the potential impacts of dam failures.
If you own a dam that is 4 or more metres in height and stores 20,000 or more cubic metres volume of water or other fluid, you should already have submitted a dam classification certificate to the appropriate regional authority. If you haven’t done so yet, it’s important to begin the classification process as soon as possible. This includes engaging a recognised engineer to certify your dam. You should also notify your regional authority that you’ve started the process.
Owners of classifiable dams with a high potential impact classification (PIC) must submit a Dam Safety Assurance Plan (DSAP) within one year of the council approving the classification. These deadlines are quickly approaching and dam owners will need to engage a recognised engineer to audit and certify the DSAP. If dam owners do not comply with the regulations, Regional Authorities may issue infringement notices.
Resources to help you
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has published a tool to assist dam owners determine whether their classifiable dam is likely to be a low potential impact dam, or whether further judgement may be required to determine the classification.
Classification screening tools for Dams and Canals
You can read more about the definitions, regulations, and find resources to support you, on MBIE’s Building Performance website: www.building.govt.nz/managing-buildings/dam-safety/
Included in these resources is the Measuring and calculating the height and volume of agricultural dams resource. This is designed to help horticultural or agricultural dam owners calculate the volume of their dam and understand if they are impacted by the Regulations.
MBIE has also published another resource, the Potential Impact Classification checklist, which is a checklist to support dam owners to identify and collate information for a PIC assessment.
The Guide to complying with the Dam Safety Regulations has been updated to clarify some points.