Economic development occurs where basic services exist. The infrastructure must be built and the foundation laid before development occurs. The investment will bring jobs and opportunity.
In April, the Grays Harbor County commissioners will open the bids for the Hogan’s Corner Water System. Water rights for the project are four million gallons a day.
Phase I is development of 2 wells, (one 500 gpm and one 1000 gpm) and storage facilities to deliver water to Illahee/Oyhut, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, Washington State Park and all of Hogan’s Corner.
The county wells are behind where the old drive-in theatre operated on the North side of Hwy 109. We will pipe across Hwy 109 to storage tanks on lots bordering Hwy 115, picking up anyone who wants to connect to the water system. From there, down Hwy 115 to the entrance at the state park. In the Park, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino has already built the water line to the casino. They currently accept water from the Ocean Shores system. This project will enable the county to deliver water to all those areas listed and have the ability to deliver water to Ocean Shores.
Extending sewer to Illahee and Oyhut is a part of this first Phase. The City of Ocean Shores, supported by the county, is making plans to bring sewer to the communities of Illahee and Oyhut. Several connections already exist. The North Beach High School and the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino are current customers of the Ocean Shores utility system. They have a large capacity waste facility capable of handling all sewage out to Hogan’s Corner. With expansion it could handle connections all along Hwy 109 to Ocean City and Copalis Beach.
This $3 million investment in the North Beach Water System gives us opportunity. It will take private investment as well. It will take cooperation between the city, the county and the Quinault Indian Nation.
It will mean trusting each other and doing the right things to lay the foundation to support our future.
