Compliance and enforcement activity report: January-March 2025

DSNSW compliance and enforcement activity report: January – March 2025

For the January to March 2025 quarter, Dams Safety NSW (DSNSW) compliance and enforcement activities have focused on:

• Dams Safety Management Systems
• Risk Reports
• Non-compliance follow ups
• Compliance reminders
• Planning and mining matters

During the January to March quarter, DSNSW staff completed the following:

Dam Safety Management Systems

• Audited compliance with requirements relating to Dam Safety Management Systems for 9 dams. These were carried out as virtual meetings.
• 20 non-compliances were identified across 9 audits.
• The most common non-compliances in relation to dam safety management systems were absent or incomplete record keeping in relation to:
  • Monitoring records
  • Results of internal audits and records of reviews
  • Improvements and corrective actions
  • Training records

Risk Reports

• Audited 19 Risk Reports to assess their compliance with the approved methodology and requirements.
• The majority of reviewed reports are deemed compliant.
• Common non-compliances are a result of failing to follow the Societal and individual risk rating methodology for the Dams Safety Act 2015 published in the Government Gazette of NSW No.113 of 18 March 2022.

Operations and Maintenance Plans

• Audited compliance with requirements relating to Operations and Maintenance Plans for 1 dam. This was carried out as a virtual meeting.

Combined audit

• Audited compliance with requirements relating to Dam Safety Management System, Operations & Maintenance Plan and Dam Safety Emergency Plan for 5 dams (owned by the same dam owner). This was undertaken as a site audit.

Non-compliance follow-ups

• Contacted 21 dam owners to resolve outstanding non-compliances from previous audits.
• The majority of these non-compliances related to dam safety management systems and operations & maintenance plans.
• These non-compliances have been resolved, with some identified for future audit to ensure continued compliance.

Compliance reminders

• Sent 3 final reminder letters to dam owners with overdue Risk Reports.
• Sent letters to 151 dam owners reminding them of the Annual Dam Safety Standards Reports due date of 31 March 2025

Planning matters

• Issued 3 mining consent applications
• Completed submissions to NSW Department of Planning on 4 development applications for State Significant Development and State Significant Infrastructure
• Processed 21 mining lease applications and amendments.