Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says.

“The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.

“Dam safety regulations imposed by the previous government are set to come into force on 13 May 2024, requiring dams over a certain height to have a Potential Impact Classification.

“Feedback from farmers and growers is that these new regulations will add an unreasonable amount of compliance costs for the low risk posed by small dams that are used in farms across New Zealand for water storage.

“The week the coalition Government has agreed to raise the height threshold of the dam safety regulations from one to four metres.

“This will mean approximately 1,900 fewer dams will be impacted by the new regulations, reducing red tape and compliance costs by more than $13.3 million.

“It will also better align dam safety regulations with the requirement for dams over four metres to also have a building consent.

“This higher threshold strikes the right balance of managing risk while easing the regulatory burden faced by owners of smaller dams like farmers and growers.”

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