Dam Safety Policy Consultation
Consultation now open! 
On this page you can find everything you need to know about the consultation for Greater Wellington’s Proposed Dangerous Dams, Earthquake-prone Dams, and Flood-prone Dams Policy 2024 (the Policy).
The consultation closes 5pm Sunday, 7 July 2024.
Ways to provide your submission:
- Online by clicking here.
- Download a PDF submission form here, fill it in, and:
- email it to damsafety@gw.govt.nz
- post it to:
- PO Box 11-646, Wellington OR
- PO Box 41, Masterton
- deliver it by hand to our offices at:
- 100 Cuba St, Wellington OR
- 34 Chapel St, Masterton
What is this consultation about?
Section 161 of the Building Act 2004 (Act) requires all regional councils to adopt a policy on dangerous dams, earthquake-prone dams and flood-prone dams.
This policy sets out what Wellington Regional Council will do in relation to a dangerous, earthquake-prone or flood-prone dam in the Wellington region. It is a short policy that covers our regulatory and legislative responsibilities in relation to these dams under the Building Act 2004.
We want your feedback on the proposed Policy which details:
- the approach Greater Wellington will take in performing our legislative functions in relation to dangerous, earthquake-prone, and flood-prone dams
- our priorities in performing these functions, and
- how the policy will apply to heritage dams.
Why are we updating this policy?
We are updating our policy so that it aligns with central government’s new dam safety requirements including the Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022 (Regulations) which come into effect in May 2024. From that date, owners of dams that meet the height and volume requirements will need to confirm the potential risk their dam poses, put in place safety plans and undertake regular dam inspections.
Who should read this policy?
You should read this policy if you are a dam owner or have a dam on your property that is a classifiable dam.
- Measures by a regional authority to avoid immediate danger apply to all dams.
- A classifiable dam (as defined in regulation 5 of the Regulations) is:
4 metres or more in height and holding 20,000 m3 or more in volume.
What are dangerous, earthquake-prone and flood-prone dams?
These terms are defined in the Building Act 2004. The Building Act 2004 states that a dam is dangerous if it is a high potential or medium potential impact dam; and is likely to fail –
- in the ordinary course of events;
- or in a moderate earthquake (as defined in the Regulations);
- or in a moderate flood (as defined in the Regulations).
A dam is an earthquake-prone dam for the purposes of the Act if the dam –
- is a high potential impact dam or a medium potential impact dam; and
- is likely to fail in an earthquake threshold event (as defined in the Regulations).
A dam is a flood-prone dam for the purposes of the Act if the dam –
- is a high potential impact dam or a medium potential impact dam; and
- is likely to fail in a flood threshold event (as defined in the Regulations).
What doesn’t the policy cover? 
The policy does not classify dams. The Regulations require dam owners to assess their dam as either low, medium or high potential impact. Their assessment considers the impact to the community, cultural sites, critical and major infrastructure, and the natural environment. If it is a medium or high potential impact dam, the Building Act requires the owner to prepare a dam safety assurance programme.
The council does not undertake this assessment nor is it responsible for preparing the dam safety assurance programme—this is the role of the dam owner and their recognised engineer.
However, the dam owner must immediately notify the council if they believe their dam is dangerous. We will then respond in accordance with the policy.
The policy also does not cover consenting matters under the Resource Management Act 1991 or Building Act 2004.
Submissions should relate to the contents of the policy. The council is not able to change anything in the Act or Regulations.
Further information about the proposed amendments can be viewed in the Statement of Proposal.
A full version of the current Policy can be viewed here.
A full version of the proposed Policy can be viewed here.
What information do we ask for, and how will we use it?
The Statement of Proposal explains how we deal with your personal information collected through consultation on the proposed Policy.
Who's Listening
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Email damsafety@gw.govt.nz