Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality approved a ski resort in Big Sky to use treated wastewater for snowmaking. This makes Big Sky Resort the first public ski hill in the state to do so.
Nearby private Yellowstone Club first used treated wastewater for snow in 2023. Spanish Peaks Mountain Club, a private residential community, will convert the wastewater into powder.
According to state documents, the plan was developed with the Big Sky Sustainable Water Solutions Forum. That’s a community-based initiative that worked to find sustainable solutions for water supply and wastewater disposal challenges. Between 2016 and 2018 the group worked to develop a community water use plan with input from 35 stakeholders.
The snowmaking is still subject to monitoring requirements and must meet state standards for water quality.