New Indigenous Graduates Ready for Careers in Clean Water

Water First program sees 11 Indigenous adults become certified water operators

TORONTO, Oct. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Water First’s latest class of Drinking Water Interns are now certified water operators, after completing 15 months of hands-on training.

The internship, a collaboration between Water First Education & Training Inc. and eight participating First Nations from southern Ontario, began in July, 2025 and culminated in a graduation ceremony this month in Rama First Nation, near Orillia Ontario.

Krysta Wordock, a Project Manager and Instructor with Water First worked with the eleven interns as well as two independent Indigenous participants throughout their internship.

“This group of Interns was phenomenal and worked so hard! In total over 50 licenses were achieved in areas like Small Systems, Drinking Operator in Training, Wastewater Operator in Training and Drinking Water Treatment Class 1. I am grateful for the hard work and dedication each one contributed to the group, and it was amazing to see that these Interns created their own tight knit community.”

The 15-month program sees each graduate completing more than 2,000 hours of hands-on training and writing four exams necessary to earn Water Operator certification.

To date, 84 interns from 54 Indigenous communities have graduated from Internship programs and logged approximately over 190,000 hours working in local water plants and attending workshops.

Image caption: Water First Drinking Water Interns from the Southern Ontario Internship celebrate their graduation as Class 1 Water Operators

Sustainable access to safe, clean water in Indigenous communities continues to be a critical issue. In Canada, 21% of First Nations are affected by a drinking water advisory and that number rises to 32% in Ontario. The challenges are complex and layered. Communities may face issues relating to infrastructure, source water quality, or people to manage water systems – or more than one of these issues at a time. Water First works with Indigenous communities that have identified education and training like the Drinking Water Internship as part of their solution to the water crisis.

Chris Wemigwans is a 2018 graduate of Water First and the lead Water Operator in Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation. During the internship, he mentored an intern and reflected on the importance of sharing his knowledge – and the responsibilities of the job.

“This is a hard job to do on your own, and having a partner means you can share the workload. And I trained my intern the same way I was trained. So I know I have someone here I can trust and rely on.”

Image caption: Water First alumnus Chris Wemigwans shares his expertise with a Southern Ontario Intern at the water treatment plant Chris now operates.

The training interns receive can lead to work in both drinking water treatment, and environmental water careers. Graduates of the program become part of the Water First Alumni Network, with access to continuing career development and education opportunities, as well as an ever-expanding professional network.

“This has been a really impressive group,” offers John Millar, Founder and Executive Director of Water First. “They did the hard work every day, showing up for themselves, their community and their fellow interns. It’s been a privilege for us to get to know everyone in this cohort, and we wish them nothing but further success in their careers.”

Image caption: A Drinking Water Intern works with a Water First trainer during a field lesson.

Says Wemigwans, “It gives me peace of mind to see that there are water operators in so many more communities now because of the Water First internships. I know that where the program goes, there will be water operators. You can’t go wrong with a program like that.”

The eight communities that participated in the Southern Ontario Internship were:
Alderville First Nation
Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation
Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation
Curve Lake First Nation
Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
Nipissing First Nation
Shawanaga First Nation
Walpole Island First Nation

The Water First Southern Ontario Internship was funded through Indigenous Services Canada, and Indigenous Skills and Employment Training, together with the support of Water First’s donors. This collaboration supports local, technical capacity and autonomy in the water management field for today and for generations to come.

About Water First Education & Training Inc. (Water First): Water First is a registered Canadian charity that works alongside Indigenous communities to address water challenges through education, training, and meaningful collaboration. Since 2009, Water First has collaborated with more than 100 Indigenous communities located in the lands now known as Canada while supporting Indigenous youth and young adults to pursue careers in water science. Learn more: www.waterfirst.ngo.

High-resolution photos and logos available here.

For more information, please contact:

Ami Gopal
Director of Development and Communications
Water First
1-800-970-8467 ext. 106
ami.gopal@waterfirst.ngo 

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