Waste water discharged into the sea off Brighton and Hove will not meet EU standards for at least ten years, Southern Water said yesterday.

The company believes it will take that long to find a site for a modern treatment works and get it up and running to treat the city's sewage to meet the required European treatment standards.

It means bathing water will be dirty compared to other resorts, but could still meet European cleanliness standards The long delay follows last month's rejection of an expansion to the existing Portobello works at Telscombe Cliffs for a sewage treatment centre.

There was massive opposition to the Portobello scheme as it meant concreting over Telscombe Cliffs beach to build a huge platform out to sea, Telscombe Cliffs are in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Southern Water says it is now back to square one and it has no alternative plans for another site.

Sewage treatment works at Hastings, Eastbourne, Newhaven, Shoreham and Worthing, will all be in operation by 2003, ensuring the discharges meet European Waste Water Directive standards. Newhaven and Littlehampton are already up and working.

That leaves a gap between Newhaven and Shoreham for the sea off Brighton and Hove, the most popular bathing beaches.

Company spokesman Geoff Loader said: "It could take ten years or even more to get a plant built and up and running. We have no plan B and have not had any talks with East Sussex County Council about alternative sites.

"The planning inspector said East Sussex County Council should make an assessment as to whether having a plant at Newhaven would affect the regeneration of the port. Until then it is question of where do we build?"