Off-Grid Living in Harrisville, New Hampshire

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Harrisville, New Hampshire, and the short version is: Harrisville is a zoned town, so "off-grid" here means working within an established zoning ordinance and state environmental rules, not homesteading on unregulated land.

Zoning. The Town of Harrisville has its own Zoning Ordinance, adopted under the authority New Hampshire state law (RSA 672-677) gives to towns, and it divides Harrisville into several districts, including a Residential and Agricultural District. There are also slope-based restrictions that matter a lot for off-gridders: land with a natural slope of 12% or more generally can't be used for septic disposal unless an engineered design satisfies the Planning Board. You can't just occupy raw land without an approved structure and septic plan.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs. The ordinance has a dedicated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) article, and as of a 2024 update, Harrisville now requires a conditional use permit for detached ADUs rather than the old special-exception process. I could not confirm any specific provision addressing tiny homes on wheels or RVs as full-time dwellings, so if that's your plan, call the Planning Board directly before you commit.

Building permits. The town's Building Inspector, operating under the Select Board, issues permits for construction, alteration, demolition, and moving of buildings, and enforces the adopted codes (IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IECC 2021/2018 editions, plus the State Fire Code). Applications go through Town Hall.

Septic and composting toilets. Any septic system needs written approval from the state, specifically NH DES's Subsurface Systems Bureau, before installation, replacement, or expansion, and the resident has to certify compliance with local requirements too. Harrisville layers its own slope restrictions on top of that state process. I found nothing town-specific on composting toilets, so that's a question for the Building Inspector.

Greywater. I couldn't find any Harrisville-specific ordinance on residential greywater reuse. Treat this as unclear and ask the Building Inspector or Planning Board directly.

Rainwater harvesting. Nothing in Harrisville's materials restricts it beyond the general building and plumbing code the town already enforces, so this looks generally permitted, though not something the town spells out separately.

Wells. Well construction and licensing is a state function (NH Water Well Board), not something Harrisville administers, but the town's Master Plan flags aquifer protection concerns and encourages minimizing wells drilled through impermeable layers in sensitive areas.

Off-grid utilities. Harrisville has no municipal water or sewer system serving most of the town, so disconnected living isn't unusual here. But if you're near any of the town's ten lakes or ponds, the Shoreland Protection Ordinance imposes real constraints, especially within 150 feet of the reference line, affecting septic siting and impervious surfaces.

Bottom line: this is a real zoning town with layered state and local rules. Confirm everything with the offices below before you buy land or break ground.