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Managing dams to ensure they are safe

On 13 May 2024, new regulations (Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022) to improve the safety and resilience of Aotearoa /New Zealand's dams come into force.

Only classifiable dams are impacted by the new regulations. A dam is classifiable if it has a height of 4 or more metres and stores 20,000 or more cubic metres volume of water or other fluid. This threshold has recently been increased which means fewer smaller dams are now impacted by the regulations. You can read more about this on the other dam safety pages.

The regulations ensure that classifiable dams are well operated, maintained and regularly monitored. They also ensure that potential impacts of dam incidents and failures are reduced, protecting people, property, and the environment.

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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: