Editorial from April 17, 2008

Water, water, where art Thee?

By Danielle Seckler

   As the water discussion go on between the Big Bear Lake City Council and their Department of Water and Power (DWP), it seems clear that some would like to see something done with Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency (BBARWA) processed water. For anyone who doesn’t already know; after BBARWA processes the sewage from the valley, water and sludge is what left over. Currently, the water is being sold to a farmer in Lucerne Valley to water the alfalfa fields and the sludge gets trucked away to a dump.

   In other places after they purify the water further one more step is placed into ponds, which filters through the earth until it makes its water to the aquifer. It’s done in San Diego, where the lakes are used for recreation and wildlife called Santee Lakes or the Japanese Gardens of the San Fernando Valley. The ponds at the BBARWA plant are always used by the local wildlife as their watering hole. So why not reuse the water in the valley to have a way to have a reliable water source?

   There are concerns from many in the country that drugs will make it into the drinking water, causing harm to humans. Many of today’s drugs are not water soluble, meaning that they will not break down into their components after processing. There are concerns that the molecules of the drugs may be too small to filter out before the water is placed in a pond or that the earth will not filter them out before it makes it to your water tap. So far, no one has ever mentioned anything about illegal drugs or the many other chemicals that are flushed down the toilet. Let’s face it folks, we’re talking about molecules, which I can’t see without a microscope. Studies are being done and questions are being asked in many corners of the country. However, there is no definitive proof that this water will be harmful or safe for human consumption.

   At the workshop of both the DWP board and City Council, there were 14 possible ways to get more water into the valley. Below is a list of the 14 options, grouped together:

1. Artificial recharge – There are 6 options to use the BBARWA wastewater: 1.) Project investigated by BBARWA until the public stopped the project. 2.) Use BBARWA wastewater to make snow, instead of lake water. Then lake water would be used for drinking water. 3.) Golf course irrigation with reclaimed water.  No estimate on how much the pipeline would cost or who would pay for it.  Also suggests using treated wastewater for parks and schools. 4.) Combination of snowmaking and/or golf coarse irrigation with BBARWA wastewater. 5.) Direct discharge of treated wastewater to Bear Creek, and 6.) Direct discharge of treated wastewater into the lake.

2. Natural recharge – There are two options:  1.) Construct small recharge basins to catch stream water before it gets to the lake. 2.) Recharge a location, such as Green Spot or Van Dusen Canyon with lake water.

3. Eliminate outdoor watering - Yes it is being considered!

4. Curtail further development - Ban on construction.  Estimated to cost $90 million for compensation, plus legal fees.

5. Partial diversion of water from Van Dusen and/or Sawmill Creeks into the lake - This one also included a plan to replace water lost from Baldwin Lake habitat with reclaimed wastewater.

6. Buy water – There are three options: 1.) Groundwater from wells on private property in Holcomb or other areas. 2.) Import State Water - A pipeline to Big Bear to pump CLAWA or Mojave Water Agency water from down the hill. 3.) Purchase excess water from the groundwater basin - Assuming that there is excess groundwater that the CSD will not need in the future then buy all or some of this excess.

    All the artificial recharge projects made people’s eyebrows raise and there is a large group of people who absolutely do not want to use BBARWA’s wastewater; which includes putting it the lake or downstream from the lake. I don’t know about anyone else, but I wouldn’t swim in the lake, let alone drink the water. There are plenty of old cabins that still run their sewage into the lake, especially those cabins on Forest Service property.

   It seems to me that the easiest options are to first buy the water from the CSD and to build recharge basins to catch stream water, before it runs into the lake. Most of the other options like buying water from state sources or recharge projects are just too expensive for such a small community. Unless, someone can get Washington DC or Sacramento to give us some serious money to build something else, forget it.

   Ironically, Liz Harris and Rick Herrick with Steve Schindler of BBARWA stated that the BBARWA recharge was not being considered, right up and until the DWP board asked if they requested the project would they consider it. Harris stated that it was not the council's place to request a project as it is a water project, therefore the DWP board would have to request it. Immediately, they responded "We are asking you to consider it." What an awkward way to tell the DWP to do it.

   Anyone want to bet with me that they go for the BBARWA recharge project, ignoring the local distain for the project as just being the same old 'nay-sayers'. Guess they weren't paying attention during the pool vote and this is an election year. The plan will have to be to get Bob Colven re-elected and Rick Ollila off the CSD board with someone of their thinking. Colven has stated many times that he agrees with the Big Bear Lake people and the only two who have stood in their way on the BBARWA board is Ollila and John Day. Remember, any project the BBARWA board votes with a minimum number of yes votes is 4 out of 5, AKA a super vote.

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