Claremont says late water report was paperwork issue, not safety problem

Claremont’s drinking water tested acceptable, but the city still had to notify residents after a required report for TTHM and HAA5 missed the state deadline. The issue was administrative, not a water-quality exceedance, yet it still counted as a compliance violation.

The public notice, dated April 28, said the violation was issued April 16 for Claremont Water Dept., public water system 0461010. City officials said the samples were collected properly for Quarter 1, Week 1, with a sample date of Jan. 21, 2026, but the results were submitted outside the compliance window because of a clerical or timing issue. In plain terms, the samples were fine. The paperwork was late.

That distinction matters because New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services requires public water systems to follow a master sampling schedule and issue public notice after violations. Federal Stage 2 disinfection-byproducts rules also require monitoring for TTHM and HAA5 using locational running annual averages. Even when test results come back acceptable, missing the reporting deadline can still trigger state enforcement and public notification. Claremont said there is no health risk and that the drinking water continues to meet safety standards.

The city said the problem has already been resolved. According to the notice, the next round of DBP samples was submitted on time, which closed the violation. Claremont also said it updated master calendars, improved staff notification and tracking procedures, and adjusted schedules to reduce the chance of another missed deadline. The city worked with NHDES to align TOC and alkalinity sampling with TTHM and HAA5 sampling, a change meant to cut confusion and save operator time.

The notice names Kalen Kangus of H20 Innovations as the plant manager contact at 388 Plains Rd. in Claremont. The city’s utilities and facilities pages show why residents watch these notices closely: the Claremont Water Treatment Plant, managed by H20 Innovations, serves 4,000 consumer connections through 75 miles of distribution mains, has capacity for 4.0 million gallons a day, and averages about 1.1 million gallons a day. Claremont also points residents to its 2026 Water Consumer Confidence Report, the broader annual snapshot of water quality beyond this reporting lapse.

For a system that touches thousands of homes, schools and businesses in Claremont, the question is no longer whether the water tested safe. It is whether city and utility officials can keep the reporting system tight enough to prevent another lapse.