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Avoid an infringement notice for your dam

Posted: 15 July 2025

Two engineers inspecting an outlet structure
Regional authorities may soon be issuing infringement notices to dam owners who still need to meet the dam regulations put in place a year ago.

It has now been one year since the new regulations aimed at improving the resilience and maintenance of Aotearoa New Zealand’s dams came into effect. These regulations place new responsibilities on owners of classifiable dams to help safeguard people, property, and the environment from potential dam failures.

Your responsibilities under the regulations

Under the dam regulations you may need to provide to your regional authority a dam classification certificate and a Dam Safety Assurance Plan, depending on its classification.

Dam classification certificates

If you own a classifiable dam — defined as being 4 metres or taller and storing 20,000 cubic metres or more of water or other fluid — you should have already:

  • notified your regional authority about your dam
  • engaged a recognised engineer to assess and certify it, and
  • submitted the dam classification certificate to your regional authority for approval.

If you haven’t completed these steps, it’s important to begin the process immediately.

Dam Safety Assurance Plans

The deadline for the Dam Safety Assurance Plan (DSAP) to be submitted to your regional authority depends on your dam's classification:

  • High potential impact: DSAPs must be submitted within one year of classification approval.
  • Medium potential impact: DSAPs must be submitted within two years.

A recognised engineer must audit and certify the DSAP. You may prepare the DSAP yourself or engage a qualified technical practitioner to do it on your behalf.

Issuing of infringement notices

Regional authorities may soon begin issuing infringement notices to dam owners who have not met these requirements. To avoid penalties, ensure your dam is classified and your DSAP is submitted within the required timeframe.

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This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people: