Residents in the Rush area of Dublin have been informed by Irish Water that it will take at least three years before raw sewage can be stopped being pumped into the sea.
On foot of this revelation, Fingal County Council has issued warnings to would-be swimmers about the presence of dangerous levels of E.coli bacteria in the water.
Untreated sewage from thousands of local homes flow into the sea on a daily basis. Lifeguards have physically stopped people from getting into the water in recent times, and the situation is likely to last for the entire bathing season.
Pregnant women in particular, and people with open wounds should avoid entering the sea in the area.