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2. Dams in NSW
3. Keeping dams safe

Keeping dams safe

The NSW Dams Safety Committee (DSC) has statutory functions under the Dams Safety Act 1978 and the Mining Act 1992 to ensure that all "prescribed dams" in NSW do not pose an unacceptable danger to life and property, or to adversely affect the public welfare. This is achieved by requiring prescribed dam owners to arrange for:

1. Proper operation and maintenance of their dams using trained personnel;

2. Regular dam surveillance using trained personnel;

3. Appropriate emergency planning and security precautions for their dams;

4. Ongoing assessment of their dam's behaviour by experienced personnel and regular review of their dam's compliance with current DSC requirements; and

5. Actions, in response to these assessments to ensure that their dams are maintained in a safe condition.

To assist dam owners, and other interested persons, the DSC has prepared a series of Guidance Sheets on its various requirements and associated dam safety matters.

For new dams, the initial objective is to ensure that they are designed and constructed according to appropriate engineering standards for present and foreseeable future conditions. Accordingly, owners and designers must provide details of proposed dams for the DSC's consideration at an early stage. The DSC obtains its basic information on all proposed dams through a series of questionnaires sent out to dam owners. These questionnaires relate to various key stages in the development of a dam from the investigation stage through to a dam that is filled and in service.

The DSC also ensures that external activities, principally coal mining, do not endanger the safety of any dam or reservoir. Recommendations are made to Government on the nature and extent of mining, which can be permitted near dams and reservoirs and the DSC oversights these mining operations.

If the DSC considers that a prescribed dam is unsafe or potentially unsafe, it may give notice, under the Dams Safety Act 1978, requiring the responsible party to undertake such actions as are necessary to ensure the continuing long term safety of the dam.