Big Bear Lake, CA – KBHR Big Bear News -The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency (BBARWA) Governing Board has voted to pivot to a more efficient, cost-effective path for the Replenish Big Bear program. By shifting focus to the Greenspot Recharge Project as “Phase 1,” the agency is opting for a simplified approach to groundwater recharge in the Erwin Lake area, replacing a previous plan that involved pumping water through Stanfield Marsh and Sand Canyon.
This revised strategy offers significant financial and operational advantages, with initial construction costs expected to drop by 15% and ongoing maintenance costs slashed by more than 50%. Because the project utilizes the Greenspot area, BBARWA can manage the entire water lifecycle internally, removing the need for complex interagency agreements or expensive new infrastructure.
The project remains committed to local water security, providing 500 acre-feet of purified water annually—enough to support nearly 2,700 homes and increase the local groundwater supply by over 10%. This recycled water will meet or exceed all state and federal quality standards to ensure public health and environmental safety.
While the board continues to refine the design and update environmental analyses, this “get it done” approach prioritizes immediate sustainability. A future “Phase 2” could still potentially include additional recharge at Sand Canyon and Big Bear Lake as resources allow. For more information and ongoing updates, community members are encouraged to visit ReplenishBigBear.org.
