Big Sky Resort Approved to Use Treated Wastewater on the Slopes

If you love winter sports in Montana, pay attention.  The Big Sky Resort has received approval from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to use treated wastewater on their slopes, in the form of artificial snow.

What do we know about this?

This will make Big Sky the first public ski resort in Montana to use treated wastewater, also called 'gray water', in this fashion.  The word 'public' is an important qualifier, because the private Yellowstone Club started doing this a couple years ago, making them the first in the state overall.  They also reportedly use treated wastewater to irrigate the club's golf course.  Both properties are owned and operated by Lone Mountain Land Company.

The project calls for the artificial snow to be used as a base layer on Spirit and Andesite mountains, along with the Spanish Peaks.  It's expected to use 23 million gallons of gray water in the beginning stages, and up to 44 million gallons per year when it gets going.

Are there any environmental impacts from doing this?

Depends on who you ask.  In theory, by doing this, the water will be treated and filtered multiple times, by both natural and artificial means, before it re-enters the water cycle.  There's also the hope that the extra snow, however it comes about, will make the snow pack last longer, which would help with water levels and wildfires.

That said, it won't stop some people from being grossed out or concerned by the thought of covering the mountains in treated sewage, though, no matter what form it takes.

So if you do hit the slopes this winter, I recommend you don't eat the snow.