Dam Safety Scheme deferred
The start date of the Dam Safety Scheme has been deferred, following an independent review of the proposed scheme.
The scheme was due to come into effect on 1 July 2010 but the Minister of Building and Construction Maurice Williamson says it will be delayed for two years to allow time for the reviews recommendations to be fully considered, and any legislative amendments made.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To find out more, read the independent review into the Dam Safety Scheme