Description

The purpose of this guidance document is to support understanding of the Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022 (the regulations) for dam owners, technical practitioners and regional authorities, and to provide guidance to assist preparing for and fulfilling the requirements of the regulations.

This document is a general guide to support dam owners and those involved in the implementation of the regulations. It covers the relevant aspects of the Building Act and the regulations and is not intended to replace them.

Scope

This guidance:

• acts as a guide to the regulations and the Building Act 2004 (the Building Act) as it relates to post-construction dam safety
• clarifies MBIE’s role as a dam safety regulator
• provides a summary and outline the implementation timeframes for the regulations
• describes and explains what steps the owner of a classifiable dam must take to comply with the regulations, and what role recognised engineers and regional authorities play to support and administer these steps
• explains the roles and responsibilities of dam owners, regional authorities, and technical practitioners and recognised engineers
• provides information about the duties and functions of regional authorities around dangerous dams, earthquake prone dams, and flood prone dams; and measures to remove immediate danger
• outlines what offences and penalties a dam owner may face if they do not meet their responsibilities under the Building Act and regulations
• provides definitions and explanations of key terms/concepts used in the regulations.

The New Zealand Dam Safety Guidelines published by New Zealand Society on Large Dams (NZSOLD) in 2015, provide recommended practices for the investigation, design, construction, commissioning, assessment, rehabilitation, and operation of all dams in Aotearoa New Zealand. The New Zealand Dam Safety Guidelines are referenced within this MBIE guidance as the key industry reference providing detailed guidelines to support implementation of the regulations.