Complaints Around The Birmingham Water Works Board Intensify

| February 9, 2017 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:306;s:4:"file";s:34:"2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-336x171.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:171;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"Birmingham_Water_Works-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-470x240.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:240;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:136468;s:14:"optimized_size";i:97280;s:7:"percent";d:28.719999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:70842;s:14:"optimized_size";i:47568;s:7:"percent";d:32.850000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3670;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3598;s:7:"percent";d:1.96;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:27242;s:14:"optimized_size";i:20300;s:7:"percent";d:25.48;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-470x240.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:34714;s:14:"optimized_size";i:25814;s:7:"percent";d:25.640000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Birmingham Water Works Board
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1666492965 
1486635797

One frequent target of criticism by the public is the Birmingham Water Works Board. But complaints hit a new level in recent months after some residents received unusually high water bills. Others had difficultly paying or didn’t receive a bill for several months after a new billing system came online. We hear about the situation from Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald, who says he’s never seen this amount of anger aimed at the board.

 

This nation has the fastest rising rate of cancer cases — and deaths — in the world

According to a new report, cancer rates are skyrocketing in this tiny country. What's causing this to happen? And what steps can be taken to turn the tide?

Iceland reports the presence of mosquitoes for the first time, as climate warms

The discovery of three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes was confirmed this week by the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, which said the mosquitoes likely arrived by freight.

Alabama board seeks to ban books that ‘positively’ depict trans themes from library youth sections

The Alabama Public Library Service Board of Directors is considering a proposed rule change that expands the existing requirement for youth sections to be free of “material deemed inappropriate for children.” The new proposal said that includes any material that “positively depicts transgender procedures, gender ideology, or the concept of more than two biological genders.”

After months of the same songs on the Hot 100, ‘Billboard’ tweaks its rules

Billboard has revised its system of removing songs from the Hot 100 singles chart once they've gotten too old to qualify as contemporary hits.

Greetings from an Indian Railways coach, with spectacular views from Mumbai to Goa

Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

Alabama inmate asks to meet with governor ahead of execution

Anthony Boyd is scheduled to be executed Thursday evening by nitrogen gas at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility. A jury convicted Boyd of capital murder for the 1993 burning death of Gregory Huguley in Talladega County.

More Front Page Coverage