For over a century, the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) has been part of Brownsville, helping it grow and lighting its future. In 1907, Brownsville got its first ever electric and water plants after local residents unanimously voted for the issuance of bonds to construct a utility system.

Before then, home lighting came from kerosene lamps, wood-burning stoves were used for cooking, and untreated water was taken from the Rio Grande for all purposes. The electric-producing plant used mesquite wood to fire up to 500 kilowatts. Electricity was conserved by turning off the street lights whenever the moon was shining.

In the 1920s, the utility system began turning over about $10,000 monthly to the City of Brownsville. A decade later, the utility began powering not only residential homes, but huge industrial hubs as well. These included the Port of Brownsville, the United States Fort Brown Military Reservation, and Pan American Airways at the Brownsville Municipal Airport.

Emphasis then began shifting toward the drought and critical water shortage of the 1950s. Engineering officials said, "Brownsville should not consider the Rio Grande a satisfactory long term water supply." Several years later, rainfall filled up the watersheds and the Rio Grande, boosting Brownsville's water supply again.

The 1960s changed the course of history for the city utility department. The electrical provider, Central Power & Light Co., wanted to buy the Brownsville utility. The issue was up for a vote by the citizens who would decide whether to sell the utility or not. The citizens voted against the sale and by a narrow margin, the creation of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board (BPUB) occurred. BPUB became a municipally owned utility (MOU) which gives customers control over the management of their utility because the decisions were to be made by a local board and/or city commission.

Talk shifted again toward water issues in the 1980s as the company began to plan for the future due to the receding water levels. The Brownsville Weir & Reservoir Project was one of the projects initiated as well as the construction of a second water treatment plant. The 1990s spurred an explosion of growth and to date, and BPUB has continued to accommodate for the growing population.

Today, BPUB is the main supplier of electricity, water and wastewater services to Brownsville and the surrounding area. As a premiere utilites provider, BPUB continues to improve as it introduces fuel-efficient vehicles to its fleet, finds new ways to educate the community on the functions of a utility system, and brings to a close a massive project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which will significantly improve Brownsville's wastewater system. BPUB is aggresively competing in the water and electric markets and continues to strive for excellence in customer service, community outreach, energy production, and the delivery of water, wastewater, and electric services. Since its inception in 1960, BPUB has and continues to be "Your Hometown Utility"