Mattapoisett residents were anything but pumped about acquiring a new boat to get rid of waste water in the town.

Selectmen proposed an article for $80,000 to purchase a pump out boat, $60,000 of which would be reimbursed to the town after a grant from the Clean Vessel Act.

Going forward, 75 percent of the costs of maintaining and operating the boat would be reimbursed.

The purpose of the boat would be to provide an easy option for boaters to pump out “gray water,” which Selectmen said would prevent them from dumping it into the harbor. Members of the Harbormaster Department would man the boat.

Currently, the town has a pump out station at the Town Wharf, but that station isn’t the only way boaters can pump out waste.

The Mattapoisett Boatyard has provided a pump out service for 15 years and has state funding. During the summers he said the boatyard pumps out 40 to 50 boats a week.

“To my knowledge we’ve never had a complaint,” he said. “It’s a successful program. I believe we could apply to the state for more hours and increase the contract.”

General Manager David Kaiser said he was not aware of people dumping their waste water.

Selectman Paul Silva responded that the boatyard had done a good job, but couldn’t cover all the boats in the harbor, and that the boatyard’s customers were likely to get pump out services quicker than other boaters.

He also said the areas in the outer harbor are far from the wharf pump out.

“We have boats that are pumping directly into this harbor,” said Silva. “I can’t believe we’re even having a discussion over a $20,000 bill to protect the environment of our harbor. We should be doing everything we can.”

Patricia Donoghue, chair of the Finance Committee, said she was unaware that the Mattapoisett Boatyard already had a service and that the group was “misinformed” when it took its original vote.

After speaking with boaters in town, Donoghue said, “Many boat owners were surprised that they could be pumped out for free by the Mattapoisett Boatyard. I think there’s an education process that informs the town about how to get the boat pumped out and where to get it pumped out.”

She added that the article might be premature.

Before the vote, resident Brad Hathaway made a final comment, receiving applause from many in the crowd.

“It troubles me that the town would go into competition with a business in this town that is paying extensive taxes, and I don’t think that is right,” said Hathaway.

When called to a vote, 72 residents opposed the pump out boat while 29 voted in favor of it.