Claremont sets new policy for pool-fill sewer fee credits

A backyard pool fill can add sewer charges for 5,000 gallons of water, or 668 cubic feet, even when that water never goes into the sanitary sewer system. Claremont has now set a formal way for homeowners to claim that money back on the sewer side of the bill, while leaving the water charge unchanged.

The city published its Sewer Use Adjustment Policy for Swimming Pool Filling on May 4, 2026, and posted it on the utilities page alongside water rates, sewer rates, the existing water and sewer adjustment policy, and other utility forms. The policy gives the Claremont Department of Public Works and the Utility Billing Division a standard process for handling pool-fill requests under local ordinances and state RSA provisions that govern municipal utilities.

To qualify, a property must be connected to the municipal sewer system and the pool fill must use at least 5,000 gallons drawn through the municipal meter. The key condition is that the water must not enter the sanitary sewer system. If it does not, the city will calculate a sewer credit by multiplying the eligible volume by the current sewer rate. The water portion of the bill stays in place.

Residents seeking the credit must submit a completed application within 30 days of the fill or before the next billing cycle. The city requires pre-fill and post-fill meter photos showing the reading, serial number and timestamp. A contractor invoice or pool-size information can also be included, but the meter photos are the core proof. Claremont says it may review usage history or inspect the site if needed, and it can deny applications that are inconsistent or cannot be verified.

The policy is narrow on purpose. Only one credit is allowed per property each calendar year. No credits will be issued for partial fills, top-offs, leaks or any claim the city cannot verify. Processing is expected to take one to two billing cycles, so the adjustment will not appear right away.

Claremont says the new rule follows practices used in Concord, Lebanon, Nashua, Worcester and Lowell. Concord, however, does not offer a sewer credit for pool filling and instead allows temporary meter rental for hydrant use. Concord also notes that water and sewer are billed on the same statement and that 100 cubic feet of water equals about 748 gallons, a reminder of how quickly a pool fill can show up in utility math.

For Claremont homeowners, especially as pool season begins across Sullivan County, the change turns what had been a murky billing issue into a clear municipal process: fill the pool, document the meter, file on time, and avoid paying sewer charges on water that never touched the sewer system.