The next installment of the Bay Pointe Club development project occurred at a contentious planning board meeting this evening.

The hot topic of the night was the sewer system to be utilized at the community of 58 lots with 90 units to be built within the Bay Pointe Golf Course. The Bay Pointe Club proposed a low pressure system that would be used at lower cost to Wareham residents.

This deviated from the last few meetings which fixated on the sizes of the lots. It was proposed that the 34 condominiums be split into two fourplexes and 13 duplexes as opposed to five fourplexes and seven duplexes.

Led by Chairman George Barrett and accompanied by Charles Rowley, PE, PLS, the meeting went back and forth without very much direction. Disgruntled locals were unimpressed with the lack of preparation from the board.

“They’re not asking the right questions,” said one local. “They didn’t do their homework.”

Initially, a central pump system that would take the place of one of the housing units was proposed. However, it was projected that it would cost homeowners $143,000 over twenty years. The E1 low pressure system can be installed on an individual basis, reduces construction time and does not require routine maintenance. It was projected to cost about $441,000 rather than the estimated $540,000 the central pump system would cost.

Director of Pollution Control Guy Campinha made some mitigation recommendations concerning the South Water pump station including lining the pipes with epoxy and adding drops to manholes. Camphina was confident that as long as these conditions were met, there should be no problems with proceeding with the E1 system.

The last 180 feet of the pump station line linked to the current sewage system was tested at its terminal end to ensure there was no buildup of debris. The Bay Pointe representatives deemed the line to be functional and free of any accumulated detritus. However, Rowley and members of the Board were concerned that only 180 feet had been tested when the line is roughly 3,100 feet long.

The line is capable of handling 64 gallons per minute but to accommodate the 94 housing units, it will need to be upgraded to over 100 gallons per minute. At 26 years old, the line is not expected to perform at its optimal 64 gallons per minute but the Bay Pointe representatives were confident that it would support the increase. The Board was still uncertain, though, and they proposed that manholes be inserted to inspect the line at various locations.

Debra McGonnnell, President of Bay Pointe Village Homeowners Association, voiced concerns about the functionality of the pump station. Less than seven percent of the pipe was inspected and so there remains uncertainty over whether the line is clear of debris or decay accumulated over its 26 years. There was also concern over whether its rate of 64 gallons per minute (should be 100) is sufficient to support 34 new units.

A consensus over the appropriate sewage system was not met and the discussion is to continue at the next meeting.

The only other developments were some minor adjustments that were proposed to the building plan including a widened cul-de-sac which was moved further into golf course, moving fencing further off of the Bay Pointe property and into Starburt Dr. if the town permits, additions for a rain garden, and a revised AutoTURN projection that would allow safe truck passage.

The next Planning Board meeting will take place on Oct. 19.