Overview
Big Bear Area Regional WWTF serves Big Bear City, California, treating wastewater for approximately 29,462 residents. The plant operates under US EPA and California state regulations for inland wastewater treatment.
The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) is located in Big Bear City, San Bernardino County, California. It serves a population of approximately 29,462 people in the Big Bear Valley area, a mountain community in the San Bernardino Mountains. The plant is part of the regional wastewater infrastructure managed to protect local water quality. As a US facility serving a medium-sized agglomeration, the plant is subject to the Clean Water Act and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. California's State Water Resources Control Board and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board oversee discharge permits for inland plants in this region. Treatment typically includes secondary or advanced processes to meet stringent effluent limits for sensitive mountain watersheds. The plant discharges to the headwaters of the Santa Ana River watershed, which flows southward through the San Bernardino National Forest and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. The receiving waters support aquatic life and provide drinking water supplies downstream. The facility plays a critical role in protecting the ecologically sensitive Big Bear Lake and the surrounding forest ecosystem from nutrient pollution.
Environmental context
The Big Bear Area Regional WWTF discharges into the upper Santa Ana River watershed, which originates in the San Bernardino Mountains and flows approximately 100 miles to the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach. The receiving waters include Big Bear Lake, a popular recreational reservoir, and downstream reaches that support threatened fish species such as the Santa Ana sucker. The plant's operations are critical to preventing eutrophication in the lake and maintaining water quality for downstream communities and habitats.
Frequently asked questions
The Big Bear Area Regional WWTF is located at 147 Palomino Drive, Big Bear City, San Bernardino County, California, United States. It serves the Big Bear Valley area in the San Bernardino Mountains.
The plant serves approximately 29,462 people in the Big Bear City and surrounding communities, making it a medium-sized agglomeration under US EPA classification.
The plant discharges treated effluent to the upper Santa Ana River watershed, which flows into Big Bear Lake and eventually to the Pacific Ocean. Discharge is regulated under an NPDES permit issued by the California Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.
The plant operates under the US Clean Water Act and is subject to NPDES permit requirements. California's State Water Resources Control Board and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board enforce effluent limits to protect the sensitive mountain watershed.
For a medium-sized agglomeration in California, secondary treatment with nutrient removal is typical, especially in sensitive watersheds. Advanced treatment may be required to meet strict limits for nitrogen and phosphorus to protect downstream water bodies like Big Bear Lake.
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