This section requires the construction engineer to issue a preliminary certificate when the engineer considers that the reservoir that is subject to relevant works may be safely wholly or partially filled with water or (in the case of a reservoir which already contains water) that the level of water should be reduced. A preliminary certificate must specify a level that the water in the reservoir must not exceed, require the reservoir manger to ensure that the level of the water remains below that level and specify any other requirements that the engineer considers appropriate about the manner in which the water level may be increased or decreased. The reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir must comply with the requirements of any preliminary certificate for the time being applicable to the reservoir.
Subsection (3) requires the construction engineer to give a copy of the preliminary certificate to the Department within 28 days of issuing it. Subsection (4) sets out that the most recent preliminary certificate issued supersedes any previous preliminary certificates applicable to the reservoir in respect of those works. Subsection (5) sets out that a preliminary certificate ceases to have effect when the final certificate applicable to the reservoir in respect of the works is issued.