There are just ten days left to have your say on how the council manages hazardous dams in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Now open for public consultation until 7 December 2023, the council’s proposed Dangerous Dams Policy sets out how the council will implement new Building Act requirements to administer and monitor earthquake-prone, flood-prone and dangerous dams in the region.
“Prior to these new regulations, New Zealand was one of the few countries in the OECD without a consistent dam safety framework,” says Auckland Council’s General Manager of Building Consents, Ian McCormick.
“Now, all councils will be better equipped to prevent the catastrophic failure of a potentially dangerous dam, and to ensure issues in an earthquake-prone or flood-prone dam are addressed. We have worked collaboratively with other Regional Authorities on a consistent draft policy, and we want to hear from the public about whether we’ve got it right.”
Who will be affected?
The new Government regulations will apply to all 'classifiable' dams, which are dams that:
- have a height of four or more metres and store 20,000 or more cubic metres of water or other fluid
- have a height of one or more metres and store 40,000 or more cubic metres of water or other fluid.
What will dam-owners need to do?
From 13 May 2024, owners of all classifiable dams in Auckland will have three months to register their dam details with us. This will include confirming the potential risk their dam would pose in the event of failure, put in place dam safety plans and undertake regular dam inspections.
Find out more about the regulations and registering your dam details with us or email damsafetyteam@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
What’s in Auckland Council’s draft policy?
The draft Dangerous Dams Policy covers Auckland Council’s regulatory and legislative responsibilities, our priorities when performing these functions, and how the policy will apply to heritage dams. The policy must come into effect by 13 May 2024 to meet the requirements of central government’s Building (Dam Safety) Regulations.
Have your say now
“There are over 1000 dams in the Auckland region, and we are particularly keen for the owners and operators of those dams to weigh in on the draft policy,” says Councillor Andy Baker, Chair of the Rural Advisory Panel and Ward Councillor for Franklin.
“Similarly, if you live downstream of a dam or are in any way invested in the safety and regulation of dams in the region, we would like to hear from you.”
Aucklanders have between now and Thursday, December 7 to provide feedback in one of the following ways:
- fill in our online feedback form on our Have Your Say page
- email damsafetyteam@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
- complete a hard copy feedback form at your local library
- post your completed form to:
The Dam Safety Team Building Capability, Building Consents department
Auckland Council
Private Bag 92300
Victoria Street West
Auckland, 1142
More information is available at akhaveyoursay.
Please note that Watercare’s High and Medium PIC dams meet thresholds that are much greater than moderate earthquake/ flood and earthquake/ flood-prone dams threshold events, as defined in the proposed Dangerous Dams Policy or Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022.
