Our History

Corporate start of the Big Sky resort development, setting the foundation for all future sewer and water infrastructure improvements that would follow.

RID 305 becomes the original public sewer provider for Meadow Village and the greater Big Sky area, marking the beginning of organized wastewater management.

A 1971 sewer agreement leads to the 1989 Montana Supreme Court case Westland Enterprises, Inc. v. Boyne USA, confirming Westland’s reserved treatment capacity rights (43 million gallons/year, with the first million gallons per year at no charge for 20 years)—a decision that would influence future capacity planning for decades.

Montana issues the Certificate of Removal of Sanitary Restrictions for RID 305 and Meadow Village, allowing development to proceed on the original sewer lagoons and storage pond infrastructure.

Lagoon seepage and capacity issues prompt Montana DEQ to issue a compliance order, triggering a community-wide building moratorium and catalyzing the creation of a unified public water and sewer district.

RID 305 places a moratorium on new sewer hookups as treatment and storage facilities reach maximum capacity, underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure expansion and modernization.

Montana designates Big Sky as a "resort area," enabling a local resort tax. Gallatin and Madison county voters approve a 3% resort tax in April 1992, effective June 1, 1992, creating a crucial funding source for infrastructure and community services that continues today.

The State of Montana issues an administrative compliance order requiring the District to address wastewater treatment deficiencies through short-term and long-term improvement plans, while restricting new sewer hookups.

A formal agreement transfers all assets, liabilities, and responsibilities from RID 305 to the new District, unifying public sewer service under a single, accountable provider with enhanced planning and operational capacity.

The District enters into a management agreement with Lone Mountain Springs, beginning the transition of Mountain Village water operations from private utility to District oversight, improving service coordination and reliability.

Lined storage pond construction

As part of long-range wastewater planning in the late 1990s, the District evaluated a seasonal surface-water discharge option to the Gallatin River as one possible way to accommodate projected community growth.

Following a 1997 settlement and 1998 District resolution, the Lone Mountain Springs water system transfers to the District, unifying most Meadow and Mountain Village water service under integrated public management.

Meadow Village Wells 4 & 5

The District received a Montana DEQ seasonal discharge permit allowing limited wastewater discharge to the Gallatin River; however, the pipeline was never built and the permit was never used.

Major pipeline construction connecting Mountain Village to Meadow system.

Modern biological sequencing batch reactor (SBR) wastewater plant.

After Big Sky’s drinking water wins state and national AWWA taste tests in 2015, the District installs a UV disinfection system at Spotted Elk Well House in 2016, meeting new groundwater disinfection rules without chlorine—Montana’s first such installation for a public groundwater system.

UV disinfection system at Spotted Elk Well House

Voters approve an additional 1% resort tax increase, raising the total rate to 4%. The new 1% is dedicated primarily to Big Sky Water & Sewer District infrastructure. The original 1% was projected to cover approximately 60% of WRRF project costs; however, inflation, COVID-related economic pressures, and construction cost escalation increased total project costs to roughly $60 million (including $6 million for Phase 2 trains). As a result, the approximately $27 million allocated from the original 1% covered less than 40% of total costs.

The District and BSRAD approve an interlocal agreement reserving 600 wastewater Single Family Equivalents (SFEs) to support future workforce housing projects, including Powderlight, Riverview, and Cold Smoke developments-ensuring 29 infrastructure capacity for community needs.

Advanced metering infrastructure for real-time water usage monitoring.

The District’s Source Capacity Plan confirms that future growth will be supported through conservation, reuse, irrigation, snowmaking, and advanced treatment—rather than discharge to the Gallatin River.

The new Water Resource Recovery Facility begins operations, doubling treatment capacity and producing Class A-1 reclaimed water. This advanced facility enables irrigation reuse, snowmaking reuse, and compliant groundwater discharge-representing a landmark achievement in sustainable mountain community infrastructure.

Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) Completed

Design advances to the 60% milestone for the canyon pipeline and lift station, including operational planning, engineering analysis, and financial modeling. Awarded DEQ deviation request to put the sewer and reuse pipeline in the same trench. Groundwater discharge permit package developed and ready to submit.

Today, a balanced combination of user rates, mill levies tied to outstanding bonds, and resort tax revenues4including the dedicated 1% for infrastructure4continues to fund Big Sky’s water and sewer projects, from storage ponds and UV treatment to WRRF expansion, additional affordable housing units, annexation, and canyon sewer extensions, ensuring resilient infrastructure for future generations.