Report an incident or injury
Serious incidents or injuries that occur at, or in relation to, a declared dam must be reported to Dams Safety NSW as soon as possible after the incident (no later than 48 hours) by calling 0403 681 645 (24 hours/7 days). A written report of an incident in a form approved by Dams Safety NSW must be given to Dams Safety NSW no later than 72 hours after the incident even if an oral report of the incident has already been given.
Are you planning changes to your declared dam?
The Dams Safety Regulation 2019 requires a declared dam owner to notify Dams Safety NSW in writing before any significant change is made to their dam. However, it’s a good idea to call us first to discuss your plans.
If you have changes underway and you’re not sure if we are aware of them, please call us on (02) 9842 8073 or email us at info@damsafety.nsw.gov.au to discuss the work.
Defining dams for declaration purposes
Dams Safety NSW may ‘declare’ a dam if its failure would threaten life, or cause major damage to property, the environment, or public welfare.
This is in accordance with Section 4 of the Dams Safety Regulations 2019:
- a dam having a dam wall that is more than 15 metres high
- an existing or proposed dam that Dams Safety NSW is reasonably satisfied would endanger the life of a person, or result in a major or catastrophic level of severity of damage or loss were there to be a failure of the dam
- dams that were ‘prescribed’ under the old Dams Safety Act (1978) became declared dams upon commencement of the new Act.
A dam owner must comply with the dams safety legislation once a dam is declared by Dams Safety NSW.
For further details, and for a list of structures that Dams Safety NSW considers not to be a dam, refer to Defining dams for declaration purposes.
Dams Safety NSW releases 2020-2021 Strategic Plan
Dams Safety NSW has released its Strategic Plan 2020-2021, which sets the direction for Dams Safety NSW for the transition period under the legislation, and sets out the longer term strategic outcomes the regulator will focus on to achieve its vision of safe dams for NSW.
One of Dams Safety NSW’s key focus areas will be to enable and support owners of declared dams to understand and fulfil their safety obligations under the Dams Safety Act 2015 and Dams Safety Regulation 2019.
In line with the strategic plan, Dams Safety NSW has already begun contacting all owners of declared dams to raise awareness of new requirements to ensure that they are managing safety risks.
We also want dam owners to know that our team is here to help and provide any advice and guidance that they may require. Dam owners can call us on (02) 9842 8073 or email us at info@damsafety.nsw.gov.au
Guideline for mining near declared dams now available
Dams Safety NSW has published its Mining near declared dams guideline.
This guideline describes how the Dams Safety Act 2015 provisions for mining near a declared dam are administered and suggests methods to reduce risks to declared dams from mining activities. It should assist anyone who is mining (or who plans to mine) in the vicinity of declared dams.
This guideline is not a legislative document. Dam owners and others are not required to adopt the suggested techniques or other material contained in it. A dam owner may achieve compliance with the legislation by adopting other methods if they fit better with a dam owner’s systems. For more information read the Mining near declared dams guideline.
Have your say on the draft Emergency plans guideline
Dams Safety NSW is now seeking comments on the draft Emergency plans guideline. The Dams Safety Act 2015 and the Dams Safety Regulation 2019 specify requirements for emergency plans for declared dams.
The draft guideline with instructions for how to provide feedback can be found here.
The purpose of the guideline is to clarify legislative requirements and to provide information to assist dam owners prepare an emergency plan for their dam.
To ensure your comments are considered, please submit your response no later than 30 June, 2020.
Comments can be emailed to info@damsafety.nsw.gov.au