Horizons’ dangerous, earthquake-prone and flood-prone dam policy open for consultation

Horizons Regional Council has opened consultation for its dangerous, earthquake-prone and flood-prone dam policy.
 

Horizons group manager regional services and information Ged Shirley says Council is required by section 161 of the Building Act 2004 (Building Act) to adopt a policy on Dangerous Dams, Earthquake-Prone Dams and Flood-Prone Dams.
 
“New regulations on dam safety Building (Dam Safety) Regulations 2022 (the Dam Safety Regulations) have been released and will come into effect on 13 May 2024,” says Mr Shirley.
 
“The current policy was adopted by Council in 2014 and it is time for our policy to be updated in line with the new regulations.
 
“The draft policy does not apply to all dams or farm ponds. It only applies to classifiable dams that are either a high-potential impact dam or a medium-potential impact dam that are likely to fail in the ordinary course of events, or a ‘moderate earthquake’ or ‘moderate flood’ as defined in the Building Act 2004.
 
“A classifiable dam defined in the Building Act is a dam that is either 4m or more in height and holding 20,000m³ or more in volume, or 1m or more in height and holding 40,000m³ or more in volume.
 
“If you potentially have a classifiable dam, we encourage you to read the draft policy and provide feedback,” says Mr Shirley.
 
“Submissions should relate to the contents of the dams policy. Horizons Regional  Council is not able to change anything in the Building Act or the Building (Dam Safety) Regulations.”
 
You can read the draft policy and provide feedback here until 22 April 2024: https://haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz/dam-policy-consultation