Rancid odours from waste water plant 'making people's eyes water' "We all started coughing and it felt like my eyes were watering the smell was so intense" Birkenhead Waste Water Treatment Works on Shore Road (Image: Google Streetview) People living along the east coast of Wirral have complained about a smell that's so bad it's making their eyes water. Residents, workers and commuters travelling past the Birkenhead Waste Water Treatment Works on Shore Road have said the stench from the plant is an ongoing issue. Some raised concerns about students and staff having to put up with the smell at the nearby Wirral Met College.