Dangerous dams policy adopted
The Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2024 introduce New Zealand’s first consistent approach to dam safety. To align with these, we’ve updated our policy on dangerous, earthquake-prone, and flood-prone dams, ensuring community safety and national consistency.
Our previous policy on dangerous, earthquake-prone, and flood-prone dams did not reflect the Government's new regulations. Therefore, we have adopted a new policy to align with the new regulations.
Policy purpose
The policy helps prevent catastrophic failure of potentially dangerous dams and ensures deficiencies in earthquake-prone or flood-prone dams are addressed.
The policy outlines:
- how we will perform our legislative functions concerning dangerous, earthquake-prone and flood-prone dams
- our priorities when performing legislative functions
- how the policy applies to heritage dams.
The policy for Waitaha/Canterbury has been developed alongside those of other regional councils to ensure national consistency around what is expected of dam owners.
Read the full policy for details:📄Download the policy on dangerous dams, earthquake-prone dams and flood-prone dams 2024 (PDF file, 456KB)
Regulations and requirements
- Building (Dam Safety) Regulations: The regulations came into effect on 13 May 2024 and are Aotearoa New Zealand’s first nationally consistent approach to ensuring dams are and continue to be safe and protect people, property and the environment.
- Building Act 2004: The act requires regional councils to adopt and implement a policy on dangerous dams, flood-prone dams and earthquake-prone dams. Under section 161 of the Building Act 2004, we’re required to review this policy at intervals of not more than five years.
- Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022
This policy supports our activities under the Environmental Regulation and Protection core service. Learn more about dam safety regulations, including our responsibilities and yours, for managing dangerous, earthquake-prone, and flood-prone dams.
