More efficient dam safety scheme on the way

The Government is taking steps to ensure dam safety without imposing unnecessary costs on dam owners, Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

Mr Williamson says the Department of Building and Housing is working on amending the proposed dam safety scheme to ensure it is more effective and efficient.

"The current proposed safety regime is overly costly and complex and has the potential to force owners of small farm dams in remote areas to follow the same processes as owners of big hydro-electric dams," he says.

"Following an independent review of the proposed scheme earlier this year, we are now planning to revise it to ensure dams that pose a higher risk and therefore need specific safety plans are more clearly identified."

Mr Williamson says the dam safety scheme was due to come into force on 1 July 2010 but has been delayed until amendments can be made and dam owners fully informed. 

"I want to make sure we get the right level of risk management without imposing unnecessary costs," he says.

Mr Williamson says dam owners and other interested groups will be given plenty of notice of the new start date and the details of the scheme, once decisions are made. He says amendments are likely to go before Parliament later this year.

"This decision reflects the Government's commitment to regulatory reform that removes cost and complexity without compromising safety," Mr Williamson says.

For more information about the independent review into the dam safety scheme visit http://www.dbh.govt.nz/buildingactreview-independent-reviews

Questions and Answers

1. Why is the dam safety scheme being amended?

The dam safety scheme as currently set out in the Building Act 2004 would affect an estimated 1150 dams. An independent review earlier this year found the reach of the proposed dam safety scheme was too broad, imposing rules and compliance costs out of proportion to the risk to New Zealanders.

2. What are the changes?

The independent review of the dam safety scheme recommends a number of changes, including changing the definition of dams requiring specific safety plans to more clearly target large dams and those that pose a particular risk to people living or working downstream.  It recommends:

• the definition of a large dam be increased to include dams that are at least eight metres high and hold a reservoir of 50,000 m³.


• the authority administering the scheme has the power to issue a notification requiring classification of any dam if there is reason to believe the dam may put persons at risk.

This would reduce the number of dams needing specific safety plans by about a third, while still ensuring high risk dams are covered.  The recommended changes will be considered in more detail before legislative amendments are made.

3. Will this impact on public safety?

No, public safety is a priority. The amended scheme will provide an efficient and effective way of managing the risk of large dams and those that pose a particular risk to people living or working downstream.

4. What happens in other countries?

Worldwide, there is a trend to introduce regulatory frameworks for dams and the principles of the New Zealand scheme are in line with international trends.

The principles are  to provide clear and comprehensive rules to ensure dams are operated in a safe manner, ongoing monitoring and maintenance occurs, dams are certified as safe by competent practitioners, and there is a balance between risk management and compliance costs.

The proposed changes to how a dam is defined as needing a specific safety plan are in line with the definitions used elsewhere.