Dam Safety Management Forum and Review

Currently the NSW Government is reviewing the Dam Safety Act 1978 and the Dams Safety Committee. The purpose of the review is to examine the functions and governance of the Dams Safety Committee and the objects of the Act, which have not been reviewed since 1978. The review is being conducted in three stages: a report was prepared by KPMG and released on 8 October; a period for community consultation; and implementation of the recommendations. A copy of the KPMG report released is available to view here. 

It was therefore very timely that the Water Directorate schedule a Dam Safety Management Forum to be held in Sydney on 9 October. We had 25 delegates from 19 councils attend the forum to hear presentations from NSW Trade & Investment, the NSW Office of Public Works, the NSW Office of Water, the Dams Safety Committee and ANCOLD. A copy of these presentations is available below..

Also, two very interesting case studies on the issues faced by local water utilities when either building or augmenting dams were presented by members councils: Armidale Dumaresq and Nambucca Shire. A copy of these presentations is also available below.

The Water Directorate strongly encourages all councils that own dams to prepare a submission to the Dam Safety Act 1978 and Dams Safety Committee. Please note that submissions are due by Tuesday 5 November. The Water Directorate is preparing a submission and will post it on our website in due course.

NSW Trade and Investment presentation by Michael Scotland and Daniella McKenzie

NSW Office of Water presentation by Steve Palmer

Dams Safety Committee presentation by Steve Knight

ANCOLD presentation by Ian Landon-Jones

Nambucca Shire Council presentation by Richard Spain

Armidale Dumaresq Council presentation by David Steller