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Sump Pumps in Massachusetts and New Hampshire: Where the Water Goes Matters
A sump pump only helps if the water it lifts ends up somewhere it is allowed to go. In both states that rules out the sanitary sewer, and your town sets the rest. Call (978) 800-2819 or send the form. A person reads every request and replies with what happens next.
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Before the pump goes in
Three questions to settle with the contractor
Where will it discharge? Groundwater pumped from a sump is clear water, and neither state lets it into the sanitary sewer. Massachusetts' plumbing code defines a sanitary sewer as one that "does not carry storm, surface, clear water, or ground water" (248 CMR 10.03), and New Hampshire's rules exclude groundwater from foundation drains and sump pumps from the sanitary sewer (Env-Wq 704.01). Your town says where it may go instead, so ask before the discharge line is placed.
Who handles the pipes and the wiring? Pipes connected to a storm or sanitary system fall under each state's plumbing rules, and wiring falls under the electrical license laws. Ask the contractor who will handle any plumbing or electrical work and who pulls those permits.
What feeds the pit? A pump is only one piece. Massachusetts defines a sub-soil drain as one that collects subsurface, ground or seepage water and carries it to a place of disposal (248 CMR 10.03). If water reaches the basement floor away from the pit, ask whether drainage belongs in the plan. Waterproofing and drainage covers that side.
If water is near your electrical panel, outlets or appliances, stay out of the basement and call your electric company or 911. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from outside.
Massachusetts
Sump pumps in Massachusetts
The sewer is off limits. MassDEP defines inflow to include "flows from sump pumps connected to the sewer" and says local sewer regulations must prohibit inflow connections; private inflow programs involve property inspections (MassDEP infiltration and inflow). Sewer authorities must run programs to find and remove those flows (MassDEP sewer regulations).
Redirecting has rules too. The plumbing code says all discharges to ground or surface water must meet local, state and federal standards (248 CMR 10.02).
What the plumbing code covers. It defines a sump pump as a mechanical device, other than an ejector, that removes clear liquid waste from a sump, and counts piping and appliances connected with sanitary or storm drainage as plumbing. Perimeter or sub-soil drains that don't discharge to a storm or sanitary system are excluded, but only the pipes, not the fixtures or appliances connected to them (248 CMR 10.03). The state's contractor chart lists plumbing as done "by licensed trades, as required by law" (HIC contractor resources).
New Hampshire
Sump pumps in New Hampshire
The sewer is off limits. Roof downspouts, exterior or interior foundation drains and sump pumps "shall not be directly or indirectly connected to a public sewer" (Env-Wq 704.20). Where the water may go is up to your town or sewer utility.
Plumbing. State law defines plumbing to include piping, fixtures and appurtenances connected with sanitary or storm drainage within or next to a building, up to the first fitting past the foundation wall or 5 feet from the building (RSA 153:27). Plumbers must be licensed; an owner working in his or her own single-family home or townhouse is exempt but still needs local permits and inspections (Mec 300). OPLC answers licensing questions at 603-271-2152 (Mechanical Licensing Board).
Wiring. Electrical installations made for pay must be made by a licensed electrician. Portable appliances that only plug into a fixed receptacle aren't electrical installations, and a homeowner may do electrical work in a single-family home he or she owns and lives in (RSA 319-C).
New Hampshire basement rules and the towns we cover.
Last verified November 2026. New England Basement Pros is a referral service. We don't install pumps or file permits.
FAQ
Sump pump questions
Can my sump pump empty into the house sewer line?
No, in either state. MassDEP counts sump pumps connected to the sewer as inflow and says local sewer regulations must prohibit those connections. New Hampshire's rules say sump pumps "shall not be directly or indirectly connected to a public sewer."
So where can the water go?
That is a town or sewer utility rule, so ask your public works or sewer department. In Massachusetts, the plumbing code requires discharges to ground or surface water to meet local, state and federal standards.
Does putting in a sump pump count as plumbing?
The state definitions are broad. New Hampshire counts piping connected with storm drainage within or next to a building as plumbing, up to the first fitting past the foundation or 5 feet out. Massachusetts' plumbing code exempts perimeter or sub-soil drain pipes only when they don't discharge to a storm or sanitary system, and never the fixtures or appliances connected to them. Ask the contractor who will handle any plumbing and who pulls the permits.
Does flood insurance cover the sump pump?
FEMA lists sump pumps among the items in a basement that flood insurance building coverage includes, if they are connected or installed. It does not cover basement improvements such as finished walls, floors and ceilings.
What does it cost me to use New England Basement Pros?
Nothing. The request and the referral are free; the contractor prices the work.
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