Building consents: dams

Building consents for dams

Applications
Processing time
Inspections during construction
Safety inspections

The requirements of the Building Act are in addition to the requirements under the Resource Management Act 1991 for resource consent for damming, taking or diverting water.

Auckland Regional Council will process the resource consent for your dam project.

Environment Waikato will process your building application for a dam or canal.

Applications

Environment Waikato website for information about building a dam, application forms and checklists.

ARC recommends that you send your consent application for a dam or canal documentation directly to Environment Waikato. They will formally acknowledge receipt of your application upon its arrival.

The Building Act requires that you include a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) with your building consent application.  You need to apply to ARC for this.

Processing time 

The timeframe for processing your application starts from the time documentation is received by Environment Waikato.  This also applies if you submit your documentation to ARC.  This is because ARC is acting as agent when it receives documents intended for Environment Waikato.

Inspections during construction 

Environment Waikato is also responsible for undertaking inspections during construction of a dam built under a resource consent issued by them.  This enables Environment Waikato to confirm the work complies with the approved consent documentation and the Building Code.

Environment Waikato will also issue the Code Compliance Certificate at the end of the building process.

Safety inspections 

From 1 July 2010, the dam safety provisions of the Building Act come into force.  Read more about the dam safety scheme.