A legal challenge to the construction of a wastewater treatment plant near a cliff walk in Kilkee, Co Clare, will be heard in the High Court next month.
Uisce Éireann says the facility is needed because untreated wastewater from the seaside town is currently being discharged into the sea.
However, local people are funding a judicial review because they say the proposed facility on Dunlicky Road, a short distance from the cliff walk, is not an appropriate location and will impact the town which is dependent on tourism.
Local resident Ellie Byrne said: "It beggars belief that anyone could stand on this extraordinary landscape and decide that this is the perfect location for a sewage treatment plant."
Clare County Council refused planning permission for the treatment plan after receiving almost 90 formal objections.
Following an appeal by Uisce Éireann, that decision was overturned by An Bord Pleanála.
"The residents of Kilkee are against this. We need a proper treatment plant but not here and not this one," Ms Byrne said.
Maria O'Dwyer, Infrastructure Delivery Director with Uisce Éireann said there is currently raw sewage coming out of the homes and businesses of the coastal town and flowing into the waste water network, directly into the sea.
"We need to construct our waste water treatment plant that we got planning for in June, so that we can address that.
"We looked at a lot of different options and we deemed this as the most appropriate location for the plant. Our team of engineers, environmental scientists even landscape architects have been working on this and the plant will be sympathetic once it is completed," she said.
While locals agree that a treatment plant is needed, they say a tertiary plant rather than a primary plant is required to meet the needs of the population which more than doubles to 20,000 during the summer months.
Uisce Éireann says a primary plant is standard for coastal outfall and the proposed facility will cater for summer peaks.
"We do want to see progression in Kilkee. We do want a waste water treatment plant. It needs it and we know it," said local resident, Joanne Dillon.
"Kilkee is looking for a tertiary treatment plant, not a primary treatment plant. We're also worried about our Blue Flag beach and we're worried about the ecological effect on our wildlife and sea life," Ms Dillon said.
The Judicial Review will take place on 17 June and will assess if An Bord Pleanála - now An Coimisiún Pleanála - erred in its review process, not the merits of the decision.
