Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility

Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility The first sanitary sewer system in Pine Bluff was built in 1888 to combat an epidemic outbreak. Each drainage area had its own disposal facility.

Municipal Wastewater Utility
City of Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Mission: Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility is committed to providing our customers with efficient, reliable service while protecting the public health and maintaining a clean environment. Yellow fever, typhoid fever and cholera ran rampant through many southern communities during the late 1800’s. Many cities in the area experienced exposure to

germs from outhouses and cesspools. Diseases were spread by contaminated drinking water and unsanitary conditions that resulted from the lack of a sewerage system. At this time, the sewage traveled through open ditches and emerged untreated in the Arkansas River just east of Convention Center Drive. The city’s forefathers constructed a primary sewerage system to save lives, reduce an epidemic and improve the health of its inhabitants. By 1949, it had been expanded to the point that it contained 86 miles of sewer mains and laterals. The sewers were built by independent sewer districts as part of a bond debt. The responsibility for the operation and maintenance of this system reverted to the City of Pine Bluff once the bond debt was retired. Today, the City of Pine Bluff has 39 sewer districts and 450 miles of collection lines. These treatment plants serve five separate districts and one housing project. While sewage was available to the inner city areas, some remote areas still did not have sewer capabilities. Pine Bluff experienced a substantial population growth, and the drainage areas of many of the old sewerage systems have been increased beyond original design. Pine Bluff enjoyed a progressive population growth that was most outstanding during the 1940-1950 decade with a 74.5% increase. Some of this growth can be attributed to the expansion of the city limits resulting in the annexation of certain populated areas. This trend inevitably affected the economy of the territory and necessitated the expansion of the existing sewer system in order to accommodate local residents, businesses, schools and industries. Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility has made marked improvements in the implementation of service to its consumers. PBWU has consistently received numerous awards for excellence, dating back from 1980 to date. NACWA has recognized PBWU with Platinum and Gold Awards at the Boyd Point Treatment Facility for 100% compliance to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit standards. PBWU discharges approximately 12 million gallons per day (MGD) of treated wastewater back into the Arkansas River.

PBWU would like to thank Andre Lewis of Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Health for spending time with our staff to discuss...
09/04/2026

PBWU would like to thank Andre Lewis of Southeast Arkansas Behavioral Health for spending time with our staff to discuss mental health and its impact in the workplace.
Mental health can affect how we handle stress, communicate with others, stay focused, and manage the challenges we face each day. Creating awareness and understanding is an important step toward building a workplace where employees feel supported and know that their well-being matters.

Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility offices will be closed Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th in observation of L...
09/03/2026

Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility offices will be closed Friday, September 4th and Monday, September 7th in observation of Labor Day. Offices will re-open on Tuesday, September 8th.

Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility would like to thank Allen Green with the Arkansas Municipal League for taking the time to ...
08/27/2026

Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility would like to thank Allen Green with the Arkansas Municipal League for taking the time to speak with our Safety Committee about the importance of situational awareness in the workplace.
Situational awareness plays a critical role in keeping employees safe. Being alert, recognizing changing conditions, identifying potential hazards, and understanding what is happening around you can help prevent accidents and injuries before they occur.
At Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility, safety is a team effort, and opportunities like this help us continue to learn, improve, and keep safety at the forefront of everything we do.

On Thursday, August 20, Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility held its annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon, celebrating a year...
08/21/2026

On Thursday, August 20, Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility held its annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon, celebrating a year of outstanding achievement. PBWU was recognized with the NACWA Platinum 17 Award, WEF Burke Award, and AWEA Safety Award for cities with populations over 20,000.

Manager Ken Johnson also recognized employees who earned promotions, certifications, and licenses during 2026.

A special congratulations goes to Hedoris Wilborn, PBWU’s first Utility Ambassador Award recipient, recognized for his outstanding representation of the Utility in the community and on social media.

Josh Pickett won the drawing for a Pit Boss pellet smoker.

08/19/2026
Our team recently completed the reinstallation of a 375-horsepower pump at Pump Station 52 as part of our ongoing mainte...
08/13/2026

Our team recently completed the reinstallation of a 375-horsepower pump at Pump Station 52 as part of our ongoing maintenance efforts.

This $200k pump handles millions of gallons of wastewater daily, making it essential that it remains in top working condition. Regular maintenance helps extend the life of our equipment, reduce the risk of unexpected failures, and ensure reliable wastewater service for our community.

Pump Station 52, constructed in 2019, is PBWU's newest wastewater pump station and plays a vital role in serving the Pin...
08/06/2026

Pump Station 52, constructed in 2019, is PBWU's newest wastewater pump station and plays a vital role in serving the Pine Bluff community.

The station conveys wastewater from the entire southern half of Pine Bluff to our wastewater treatment facility, where it is treated before being safely returned to the environment.

Designed with advanced monitoring and control technology, Pump Station 52 enables authorized operators to monitor system performance in real time and access operational controls from mobile devices. This technology allows for faster response times, improved operational efficiency, and enhanced system reliability.

To ensure uninterrupted operation during power outages, the station is equipped with a massive standby generator that automatically supplies power when needed. This added level of redundancy helps maintain continuous wastewater service and protects the collection system during severe weather and other emergency events.

Pump Station 52 is an example of how sewer revenues collected by PBWU are reinvested locally to modernize critical infrastructure, improve service reliability, and protect public health and the environment for years to come.

PBWU has invested nearly $4 million in sewer infrastructure rehabilitation over the past decade to strengthen the reliab...
07/27/2026

PBWU has invested nearly $4 million in sewer infrastructure rehabilitation over the past decade to strengthen the reliability of our wastewater system. This year, PBWU is investing an additional $375,000 in manhole rehabilitation and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) projects to continue improving system performance and resilience. By taking a proactive approach to identifying and rehabilitating aging infrastructure before failures occur, we have reduced sewer service interruptions by 90%. These rehabilitation projects are made possible by sewer revenues collected by PBWU, which are reinvested locally in Pine Bluff to maintain and improve the wastewater collection system, ensuring reliable service for years to come.

At Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility (PBWU), maintaining an accurate understanding of our wastewater system is essential to ...
07/21/2026

At Pine Bluff Wastewater Utility (PBWU), maintaining an accurate understanding of our wastewater system is essential to providing reliable service. With around 7,800 manholes throughout our collection system, we take locating, inspecting, and accurately mapping each one seriously.

Through modern GIS and mobile technology, our employees can access critical infrastructure information in the field with the touch of a finger. This allows our crews to work more efficiently, make informed decisions in real time, and respond more effectively to maintenance and emergency situations.

Our team is committed to keeping our GIS data current and precise, ensuring we can respond more efficiently, plan infrastructure improvements, and better serve our customers. Accurate mapping also plays a critical role in damage prevention, helping our utility locators identify the correct locations of our infrastructure before excavation begins. This reduces the risk of damage, improves public safety, and helps contractors and homeowners dig with confidence.

Behind every update is a commitment to protecting public health, supporting safe excavation practices, and investing in the long-term reliability of our wastewater system.

Address

1520 South Ohio Street
Pine Bluff, AR
71601

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(870) 535-6603

Website

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