Work to solve Rush beach problems to cost over €7m

Irish Water hope that work on the site will get under way in 2016 and estimate that it will take two years to complete.

The coastline at Rush is the dumping point for waste from some 2,700 houses.

People have been warned not to swim in the waters at any of the town's beaches this summer due to an elevated level of E-Coli.

Ban

A swim ban will be in place for the remainder of the season, with pregnant women and those with open wounds being particularly advised not to get into the water.

Extensive pipes and new pumping stations are required to connect the houses to the Portrane sewage plant.

Earlier this year the EPA identified the water as being of 'poor quality' due to the presence of raw sewage.

Only the South Beach is an official bathing spot.

Head of Assets at Irish Water, Jerry Grant, said it is "not acceptable" that so many towns were still dumping raw sewage into the sea.

Tackling

The utility has committed to tackling the problem as a matter of priority, he added.

In a statement Irish Water said that the project was in the design phase and that it hoped to publish tenders for the work shortly.