Latest Notifications

April 2024

LINZ has now made it mandatory for all councils to move from Moturiki Datum1953 (and others) to New Zealand Vertical Datum 2016 (NZVD2016) from 1 July 2024. So on 1 July 2024 all as-builts and data sheets will be required to be to NZVD2016. Note that some councils in the Waikato have already made this change.
For more information please visit LINZ NZVD2016.

March 2024

The draft RITS v2 was sent out for comment to participating councils’ key staff contacts in late January. The response by the required date was minimal, and an extension of time resulted in only one further submission.  We appreciate it is a complex and lengthy document to review. We have just received a key submission that will improve the output of this document and are now reviewing it. We will be in touch as soon as possible with the final draft. We thank you for your patience.

Participating Councils

RITS (Regional Infrastructure Technical Specifications)

The RITS was adopted by the participating councils in 2018. The first version of the RITS document has proven to be well utilised and version two (v2) is being drafted to ensure it remains current and fit for purpose. 

About RITS

The Regional Infrastructure Technical Specification (RITS) is a document that sets out how to design and construct transportation, water supply, wastewater, stormwater and landscaping infrastructure in the participating councils’ areas.

Prior to developing RITS, each council had its own Infrastructure Technical Specifications, which resulted in different standards having to be met across the Waikato region. In 2016 Co-Lab took ownership of the RITS document with the purpose of providing a single regional guide and specifications for building public infrastructure. The RITS is now used by the participating councils in the Waikato region.

When councils set up contracts for the construction of roads, water pipes and landscaping, they refer to specifications and standards that contractors are required to meet. These are found in the RITS and so contractors have certainty about what materials (e.g. pipe materials), that they can use, and what standards must be met.

Developers are required to provide infrastructure in subdivisions/developments and can use the RITS as a means of complying with the conditions set by councils as part of the resource consenting process. The RITS document aims to reduce cost and effort of developers and their consultants by providing a standardised approach to meeting resource consent conditions.

While alternative solutions can also be presented to council, they will require additional supporting information, increasing council review processes and lead times.

An annual review process will be in place to keep the document up-to-date.

*Co-Lab has no control over documents that have been downloaded, so users are responsible for ensuring they have the latest version.

IMPORTANT - RITS Announcement

LINZ has now made it mandatory for all councils to move from Moturiki Datum1953 (and others) to New Zealand Vertical Datum 2016 (NZVD2016) from 1 July 2024. So on 1 July 2024 all as-builts and data sheets will be required to be to NZVD2016. Note that some councils in the Waikato have already made this change.
For more information please visit LINZ NZVD2016.