The Caribou Waterworks was first established in 1889 as The Caribou Water, Light and Power Company. In 1943 the power generation assets were sold to Maine Public Service Company and the Waterworks was acquired by General Waterworks Corporation of Philadelphia, Pa. In 1989 the Caribou Utilities District (CUD) purchased the Caribou Waterworks Corporation adding a water treatment and distribution system to the District. The filter plant was built in 1941 and was updated in 1971. Since then several other improvements have been made to the facility to comply with more stringent water quality standards. In 2006 a new water groundwater supply will be added to the District facilities.

The Caribou Utilities District (CUD) was organized in 1945 to take over the assets of the Caribou Sewer Company and to manage wastewater functions for the City of Caribou. In 1960, a primary treatment plant was constructed at 176 Limestone Street to treat wastewater prior to discharge to the Aroostook River. Significant industrial loadings were added to the CUD facilities from local potato processing plants. In order to provide an improved effluent quality, The Charles D. Hatch Treatment Facility was constructed in 1983 near Grimes Mills on the Aroostook River, some 2 1/2 miles down river from the primary plant. Three aerated lagoons totaling 36 million gallons were constructed along with disinfection facilities. Periodic improvements have been added to improve treatment and to comply with more stringent water quality standards.