The Replenish Big Bear Program is still moving forward, but its near-term focus has narrowed. A "program" is a group of related projects that all work toward one shared goal.  It’s like an umbrella that can cover several projects at once. The Replenish Big Bear Program's core goal has always been to support long-term community resilience through groundwater recharge. Where possible, it also aims to provide additional community benefits. 

When Replenish Big Bear was first planned in 2018, it included several project ideas. Together, these ideas would have brought a range of benefits to the community. One part of the program would have added water to Big Bear Lake to support recreation and habitat. Another part would recharge the groundwater basin. But pursuing several projects at once became too costly and complex. 

In April 2026, the BBARWA Board of Directors chose to narrow the initial focus to groundwater recharge only and move forward with the Greenspot Recharge Project as Phase 1 of Replenish Big Bear. The goal of this change is to take a first step to increase water security for the Big Bear Valley. It also keeps costs lower for BBARWA ratepayers. Under Phase 1, the purified water produced by BBARWA would go into our groundwater basin only, not into Big Bear Lake. Future phases could be explored later to keep more water in the Valley for other uses. The Greenspot Recharge Project is a proven, workable way to recharge groundwater. It also fits BBARWA's mission to reuse wastewater in a responsible way. 

Going forward, the Replenish Big Bear Program will remain active, but communication will be focused on the Greenspot Recharge Project. Greenspot is the only project currently being explored.   

Big Bear Valley depends entirely on groundwater for its drinking water supplies. In recent years, drought and more variable precipitation have reduced how much water naturally recharges the groundwater basin, leaving the community vulnerable to water shortages. Water purified and returned to our local groundwater basin through this project is equivalent to what 2,700 average households in the Big Bear Valley use each year.  

At the BBARWA treatment plant, water will undergo multiple treatment steps including ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light. Purified water is pumped to the Greenspot site and placed into recharge basins that appear like large ponds and allow the water to soak into the ground over time. Once absorbed into the ground, this purified water will undergo additional, natural filtration as it soaks through layers of soil and into the groundwater basin.  From there it travels northwest to existing municipal wells. 

Professionals have looked at seven ways to use our treated water in the Big Bear Valley. These studies show that groundwater recharge at Greenspot is one of the best options. 

The Greenspot Recharge Project is a long-term investment. Greenspot would improve water quality and increase groundwater levels for both BBCCSD and BBLDWP. The groundwater quality in this area is historically very good, and Greenspot would make it even better over time by adding purified water to the basin. Water level increases in the basin would occur relatively quickly, but the purified water would travel slowly through the basin to the northwest (downstream). Based on preliminary groundwater modeling and the best available data at this time, it is estimated that the purified water from Greenspot will take about 2 years to reach DWP’s wells and 5-8 years to reach CSD’s wells (relative to distance). As the design continues to progress, additional evaluations will be conducted to refine these estimates. 

BBCCSD Wells 

• Well 2 is about 1 mile from the recharge site. Well 2 is nearing the end of its useful life. Due to age-related operational problems this well is currently only used during periods of peak demand. When CSD replaces Well 2, the replacement is likely to be in this same general location due to good water quality. 

• Well 8a came online in 2025 and is about 2 miles from the recharge site. 

• Well 11 is a new well planned for 2028 that will also be about 2 miles from the recharge site. 

BBLDWP Wells 

• DWP has three Lakewood Wells that are all about 0.5 miles from the recharge site.  Two of them currently have failed pumping units. The pumping units can be replaced, and the wells could be used in the future. 

Studies and tests have confirmed that groundwater recharge would be effective at the Greenspot Recharge site. Additionally, the site is near existing Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power and Big Bear City Community Services District wells, which reduces project costs.  

Purified water goes through multiple treatment steps and routine testing to ensure it meets or exceeds strict state and federal water quality standards. Once placed into the Greenspot recharge basins, water will undergo additional, natural filtration as it soaks through layers of soil and into the groundwater basin. Eventually the water will reach municipal wells and be considered the same as all other groundwater. Local water suppliers then follow state and federal standards for potable water so that by the time it gets to you it’s completely safe to drink. 

The project team is actively working to manage the cost of this project. The estimated cost to complete the Greenspot project is $81.4 million. The total cost is $88.6 million when you include the cost of developing the overall Replenish Big Bear Program. The BBARWA Governing Board must approve the project before it moves to construction. If approved, the Greenspot Recharge Project would be funded using a mix of grants, loans, bonds, and sewer rates. BBARWA has pursued grants and low-cost financing to help limit rate increases for residents and businesses. Updates on costs and rate impacts will be shared as the project moves forward. 

Project expenditure reports are included in the monthly BBARWA Board Meeting agenda packet. 

Final design is currently underway. The Project Team is refining design components and estimated costs. Construction of the project is subject to BBARWA Governing Board approval. The community will be informed as more details become available. 

We welcome and encourage community input. You can attend BBARWA Governing Board meetings, sign up for project updates, contact our office, or schedule a meeting with project representatives.  

Attend BBARWA Governing Board Meetings > 

No large buildings are expected on site. Small structures or enclosures may be required to house and protect critical components. All enclosures will be designed to minimize aesthetic impact at the site.

The recharge basins are not anticipated to result in perceptible odors due to the high quality of the water combined with operations and maintenance procedures.

An increase in insect activity in the area is possible. However, this will be mitigated by basins that circulate the water to avoid stagnant water, among other procedures. Additional details on mitigation will be determined as the project progresses.   

The chance of an overflowing basin is extremely low. The basins will be designed with level sensing devices, extra storage capacity, and onsite flow detention. The outfall line that transports water to Lucerne Valley will continue to operate and water would be diverted as needed.   

The only anticipated consistent noise at the site may be the sound of flowing water. Intermittent noise from basin maintenance and cleaning activities will be limited and scheduled ahead of time.