About
How Replenish Big Bear recovers our lost water
A new water legacy
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The current water cycle is broken. Our only source of water enters as precipitation, then flows into the lake or soaks into the ground to become groundwater. After our community uses groundwater for our potable water needs, the wastewater is treated at our local treatment plant and pumped out of the Valley to irrigate crops in Lucerne Valley. Through this current practice—simply a method of disposal—we are losing millions of gallons of local water each day.
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Replenish Big Bear recovers and purifies our lost water and uses it to enhance water levels in the Valley. This new supplemental water source will be used to recharge the local groundwater basin, which will help protect our community's drinking water supply. To help reduce infrastructure needs for the Program while also providing additional benefits, the Program water will be discharged to Stanfield Marsh then flow through to Big Bear Lake where it can later be extracted for groundwater recharge. A portion of the Program water will remain in the Lake and help increase Lake levels in dry years.
CLOSING OUR WATER LOOP
REPLENISH BIG BEAR CAPTURES OUR LOST WATER
The water is treated to drinking water standards and used to enhance water levels in the lake, other area water bodies, and our groundwater basin.
800
MILLION GALLONS
of the Valley's water is disposed of each year. This amounts to more than half a year's worth of water for Big Bear Valley.
All water has value.
Replenish Big Bear keeps more of our water in the Valley, and represents a new way of thinking about our most essential natural resource—that all water has value.
How it works
Replenish Big Bear will use advanced treatment processes to treat water currently piped out of the Valley, and use it to restore water levels above and below ground within the Big Bear Valley.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades & Solar Evaporation Ponds
BBARWA will be leading the expansion of Big Bear’s existing wastewater treatment technologies with advanced technology to produce about 800 million gallons per year of high-quality drinking water. The upgrade will also include solar evaporation ponds and monitoring wells.
Shay Pond Discharge Project
The Shay Pond Discharge Project would replace the potable water source that is currently discharged to the Shay Pond with Program Water as the new water source to maintain the water flow through the Pond. Up to 80 AFY of Program Water may be sent to Shay Pond to support the Stickleback, and any remaining Program Water will be sent to Stanfield Marsh, a tributary of Big Bear Lake. This BBARWA, BBCCSD, and BBLDWP Project is a future opportunity.
Stanfield Marsh /
Big Bear Lake Discharge Project
Up to 2,200 AFY of Program Water is proposed to be discharged to the east end of Stanfield Marsh, which will then flow into Big Bear Lake. This is a BBARWA Project.
Sand Canyon Recharge Project
Up to 380 AFY of Program Water stored in Big Bear Lake will be used for groundwater recharge at the Sand Canyon Recharge Area over a six-month dry weather period. The cost of this project is not included in the $75 million Program cost estimate. This is a BBCCSD and BBLDWP Project that will be completed after a permit is issued.
Other Potential Uses
Program Water stored in the Lake could be used for other beneficial uses such as dust control.
As clean as from the tap
The water used to replenish water levels throughout Big Bear Valley will exceed even state and federal drinking water standards.
Our path to a secure water future
FUNDING APPLICATIONS (Ongoing)
Additional funding options are being evaluated, including grants and low-interest loans.
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
The Final EIR will be considered for certification on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. For more information, click here.
SEPT
2018
2025
CONSTRUCTION & START-UP
Upgrades to the treatment plant and supporting infrastructure will be constructed and tested during a start-up period.
2027
Estimated Costs and Grants
Total Project Cost: $86,654,517 (in 2025 dollars)
Total Grants Awarded and Recommended: $27M (as of June 2024)
To read more about the grants below, visit the News page.
Costs shown above are for BBARWA-led treatment upgrades and piping to Stanfield Marsh/Big Bear Lake. The Sand Canyon recharge facilities will be funded separately and total approximately $3.5M.