50 of Ireland's major towns and cities are failing to meet waste water treatment standards.
The EPA report shows that sewage from the equivalent of 120-thousand people is entering the water at 44 locations each day.
It shows we need a massive investment in treatment plants.
Nicole Gernon reports:
Cork and Donegal account for nearly half of these, while it's led to poor quality bathing conditions at four locations, Merrion Strand and Loughshinny in Dublin and Clifden and Ballyloughnane in Galway.
The EPA says that it's posing an unacceptable risk to the environment and public health.
50 plants need improvement works - the majority require new infrastructure but 12 need operational changes.
The EPA is warning that we're facing massive fines as well as improvements were supposed to be completed by 2005 but some aren't due to be completed until 2021.
Current investment in the system is 170 million euro per year but that's 100 million less than 10 years ago.
Irish Water has been accused of dragging its heels and the EPA has initiated prosecutions for some of the more severe cases.
There are also warnings that as well as the impact on our health it could affect our economy and the ability to sell the Irish "green island" brand abroad.
The EPA is calling for more investment in waste treatment with an estimated 13 billion euro needed to make the necessary improvements.
