BIG BEAR CITY, CA — October 2, 2026 — Engineers with the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency (BBARWA) will begin preliminary field testing at the proposed Greenspot Recharge Project site in Erwin Lake starting around October 22, 2026.
The upcoming geotechnical investigations will collect data on local soil and groundwater conditions to assist project teams in determining optimal sizing and placement for potential recharge basins. BBARWA officials emphasize that this testing is part of the early design phase and does not constitute construction activity. Final funding and construction for the Greenspot Recharge Project have not yet been approved by the BBARWA Governing Board.
“We know local residents have questions about how the basins would be designed and where they would go,” said BBARWA General Manager David Lawrence. “This will give us better data to eventually answer those questions, and we’ve planned the work to keep disruptions in the neighborhood to a minimum.”
What Local Residents Can Expect:
- Schedule & Hours: Testing is expected to take approximately one week, with work occurring daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- On-Site Activity: Engineers will conduct geophysical surveys, shallow excavations, and exploratory drilling at up to 13 locations across the property.
- Minimal Impact: All excavations and test holes will be filled and leveled on the same day they are opened. Crews will use water applications to manage dust, and no significant traffic delays are anticipated. Intermittent vehicle noise may occur during work hours.
Depending on initial results, additional temporary infiltration testing may take place later this winter or in spring 2027. BBARWA will provide public notices prior to any future field operations.
About the Greenspot Recharge Project The proposed Greenspot initiative aims to capture and purify highly treated local wastewater that currently leaves the Big Bear Valley. By returning up to 500 acre-feet per year of purified water back into the local aquifer—roughly equivalent to the annual usage of 2,700 valley households—the project is intended to bolster groundwater supplies against drought while meeting strict state and federal drinking water standards.
For more details or to follow project updates, visit BBARWA Greenspot Recharge. Community members with questions can contact BBARWA at (909) 584-4018 or via email at admin@bbarwa.org.
