Skip to content
Give now and double your impact thanks to Canada Life!
Water First

Georgian Bay Internship

Keep up to date with our programming activities.

Turning a Dream of Clean Water Into Action

With support from Rotary, Georgian Bay Drinking Water Program interns have a bright future ahead.

For interns of the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program, graduation was just the beginning. Since completing their training, the 14 graduates have been busy engaging with their communities and pursuing further education or employment in water treatment or the water sciences field. With 1,800 hours of on-the-job experience in water treatment plants under their belts, along with other training in water monitoring and environmental science, they are well on their way to a bright future.

A significant factor in their success is support from the Rotary Club of Guelph and Rotary International.

In 2020, Rotary Club of Guelph led a fundraising initiative that leveraged club and matching funds into a Global Grant of approximately $115,000 to support the Water First Drinking Water Internship Program being delivered in partnership with eight Indigenous communities in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario. 

Rotary members around the world contribute their skills, expertise, and resources to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems. From providing clean water to promoting peace worldwide, Rotary Foundation grants bring service project ideas to life. Since it was founded more than 100 years ago, the Rotary Foundation has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects to make lives better for communities here and around the globe. 

Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world. Their mission is to create lasting change by providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace through their fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

“Our committee and I think all Rotarians have longed to provide meaningful assistance to Indigenous communities as they deal with the water crisis,” said Dianne Dance, Indigenous Awareness Committee, Rotary Club of Guelph. “The entire club often voiced frustration that we can assist Internationally but not address the water crisis affecting Turtle Island’s First Nations peoples, everyday, year after year.”

Positive change is a key outcome of the Drinking Water Internship. As part of the program, the interns worked towards the water operator in training (OIT) certification and prepared for additional water operator certification exams including water quality analyst and the entry-level course for drinking water operators. These new credentials and skills will serve the interns well as they grow in their careers and as they strive to support clean water in their own communities. 

Nick Chapman (left) and Destiny Geroux (right) during Enviro Week, one of the week-long training sessions as part the Georgian Bay Internship.

Nick Chapman, an intern from Temagami First Nation, said, “I have grown new skills and experiences I’d never thought I would get. I have taught children at my reserve what Water Treatment Operators are and how water is tested and analyzed. It was amazing seeing my community learning about what I’m trying to be.”

One key aspect of the training program is to build connections from foundational knowledge to real-world jobs and further education. Water First educators help students create these connections through hands-on activities and group work in the classroom, in the lab, and out on the land.

“Every single thing that we did was somehow wrapped into our culture,” said Bella McLeod, a graduate from Nipissing First Nation. “We always had a welcoming ceremony for each prep course. When we got together it was always very traditional, talking about our ways, the ways of the land.”

Following graduation, interns join the Water First Alumni Network to stay engaged, build local networks and access opportunities for ongoing professional development and peer support.

“I have met so many Rotarians who are supportive of Water First and our mandate, and who genuinely care and are invested in the success of the program and the interns,” said Ami Gopal, Director of Development & Communications at Water First. “With support from Rotary, these young people will go on to achieve great things and support their communities in accessing safe, clean water for the long term.”

Water First is grateful for support from the Rotary Foundation which helped fund the Global Grant Project, as well as the Rotary Clubs of Guelph and Buffalo Sunrise, Guelph Trillium, Guelph South, and Brampton, and Rotary Districts 7080 and 7090.

Rotary is an international service organization with 46,000 clubs in over 200 countries. There are 1.4 million Rotarians and Rotaractors in the world.

The Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship Program was a partnership with Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations, Gezhtoojig Employment & Training Anishinabek Nation and Water First. The program launched in June 2021 in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario. Learn more about the Drinking Water Internship Program.

Celebrating the Graduates of the Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship

In June of 2021 Water First, in partnership with Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations, Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, and Anishinabek Nation, launched a new Drinking Water Internship Program in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario.

During the 15-month internship program, each intern accumulated 1,800 hours of on-the-job experience in water treatment plants, which is a part of the water operator in training (OIT) certification process. Interns also pursued additional water operator certification exams including water quality analyst and the entry-level course for drinking water operators, as well as environmental relevant training like GIS and water sampling which can lead to work in both drinking water treatment and the environmental water field. Following graduation, interns join the Water First Alumni Network to stay engaged, build local networks and access opportunities for ongoing professional development and peer support.

Each and every graduate displayed incredible dedication and skill throughout the course of their internship, facing new challenges in stride. After weeks of hands-on instruction in treatment plants, or in the environment learning monitoring and sampling techniques, there is no doubt that these impressive young adults will do great things for their communities. Congratulations graduates!

Experience in a Big City Treatment Plant

Written by: Lori Corbiere, an intern from Wahnapitae First Nation in the Drinking Water Internship Program, and Kendra Driscoll, Water Quality Specialist at Water First.

Hello everyone, my name is Lori Corbiere. My spirit name is White Spotted Eagle Feather, I am the Eagle Clan. I’m 43 years old and I live in Wahnapitae First Nation. I used to be in the law enforcement field before I decided to change my field and work with water.

I believe water is the most important element that our bodies need in order to survive, WATER IS LIFE. I feel this was my true calling: to be a Water Warrior and make sure that our people and cities have clean water to replenish their bodies and lands, but we still need to save water for wildlife and wetlands.

Water First Staff: Kendra Driscoll

Lori is currently a Water First Drinking Water Internship Program intern. The Internship is a 15-month training program where Indigenous adults complete training with Water First in topics related to drinking water treatment and are supported to write Ontario Drinking Water Certification exams. These certifications the interns achieve in the program are what all operators across Ontario must have to work in water treatment plants. When the interns aren’t in training and writing exams, they are working in water treatment plants learning the skills required to operate a plant and accumulating the on-the-job hours needed to become fully certified water treatment plant operators. 

Some Indigenous communities, like Wahnapitae First Nation, do not have centralized water treatment plants, but the Internship Program can still be a valuable training program because it increases community capacity and water quality knowledge.

My Internship placement started in Wahnapitae First Nation, where I followed fellow co-workers around doing water sampling for the mines in our surrounding area, making sure that our water is safe for our people. Because our reserve does not have its own water treatment plant (all of us in Wahnapitae are on sandpoints and wells), I thought it was a great place to start my journey into becoming a water operator! Now I have the knowledge to see our surrounding watershed and where our water is coming from and where it’s flowing to. Cleaning the water at these mines is important before it’s discharged back to the waterways. That is why we test our water frequently throughout the week. 

Even though I gained valuable experience sampling in and around my community, to become a certified drinking water operator, I need 1800 hours working in a water treatment plant. So, the City of Greater Sudbury agreed to take me on so I can start accumulating those hours towards my Class 1 certification!

Water First Staff: Kendra Driscoll

When we approached the City of Greater Sudbury to see if they could host Lori at their plant. They agreed and were eager to support Lori to build her experience and accumulate the hours she needs to obtain her Class 1 Certification.

I am now at the Wanapitei Water Treatment Plant in Coniston, east of Sudbury, where the Plant is a Class 4 treatment plant. Sudbury isn’t the only city it takes care of: the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system reaches and maintains wells, pumps, and analyzers of different water treatment in our Greater Sudbury area, which goes as far as Onaping, Capreol, Markstay, Copper Cliff, etc.

Doing my placement here has been insightful and exciting, and I hope to learn lots on water treatment. All of the operators here are at different levels. Some are waiting to take Class 1, like myself, while others are Class 4 operators that have years of knowledge. Every operator here has their own unique way of running the plant, so it’s nice that I’m learning from these operators along with their little tricks to keep everything flowing nicely.

Maintaining water with the group of water operators here has made me feel that much more confident and compassionate in myself to continue my journey working with water. Their stories on how they became water operators were inspiring and I hope to someday inspire water operators of the future. I hope to tell them that not only am I learning from operators older or the same age, but some are younger than me and I don’t mind it at all. There is so much yet to learn here at the Water Treatment Plant and I have the advantage to learn from other operators on how they do their daily tasks keeping the water safe for everyone around us. So when you do your steps from surface water to water coming out of your taps there’s so much more happening to your water to make it drinkable.

Water First Staff: Kendra Driscoll

Every community’s experience and relationship with water is unique. Not all communities have challenges. Not all have treatment plants. Not all challenges are caused or solved by a water treatment plant. A big part of the challenge is ensuring that communities have capacity, knowledge and technical skills to manage water, and to do that, training programs that specifically support Indigenous adults to gain this experience are essential. That is why it is so valuable for interns to gain experience in the treatment plans and learn about treatment technologies while they work. Gaining knowledge and hands-on experience with treatment technologies allows interns, like Lori, to work someday in their home communities if the opportunity arises, but also opens up job opportunities in other communities, tribal council hubs, or other related industries.

Water Walk with Wasauksing First Nation

The Schools Program team was in Wasauksing First Nation a few weeks ago, working with students from Wasauksing Kinomaugewgamik. The school runs a Water Week each spring to close out a year spent learning about the water. Coordinating alongside school staff members Melanie Dolson (Grade 3/4 teacher) and Deina Bomberry (Language/Cultural teacher and Local Water Walker), Water First was invited to run programming during this week-long event.

“As a school (we) like to call ourselves water protectors,” said Bomberry, the school tries to highlight water protection all year round and not only in March, which is considered Water Action Month. “It’s our way of life. It’s part of who we are as First Nation peoples.”

Our ‘What’s in Your Water’ program had students exploring Wasauksing First Nation’s connection with their watershed, learning about spawning shoals and invasive species, going on field trips to the Aqua-Cage Fisheries (fish farm), and collecting and analyzing water monitoring samples.

Isaiah Tabobondung (a previous student of Wasauksing Kinomaugewgamik and current Water First Drinking Water Intern) visited and shared with the students about his experiences and current work. He also brought in some tools to demonstrate water testing.

We were honoured to participate in the community’s 10th Water Walk, community feast, and art exhibit run by Bomberry. A school Eagle Staff was created by incorporating the youths’ ideas as a symbol of the community, which was presented through a ceremony of drum and song, and concluded with passing the Staff to the oldest and youngest students in the community. The event was even featured in the local newspaper. So fun!

Planting the Seed for Future Water Scientists

Our Indigenous Schools team was recently in Dokis First Nation. During this program, students at Kikendawt Kinoomaadii Gamig went to visit their local water treatment plant. Going to visit the plant strengthens the students’ appreciation and respect for where clean water comes from, and for the passionate work that goes into ensuring water is safe to drink. While they were there, the students met Louise, the water treatment plant operator, and two interns from the Drinking Water Internship program, Kennedy Dokis and Harmony Restoule who are currently working at the plant. How cool is that?! 

The long-term vision of our Indigenous Schools Water Program is to provide opportunities for Indigenous school-aged students to see a future for themselves in the water sciences. By seeing community members working to provide clean water, students deepen their connections to the content in the workshops, and can even see themselves in a similar position someday. 

So, when Louise, Kennedy, and Harmony then also visited the classroom to share their personal experiences with the kids about what they are doing at the water treatment plant and why it’s important, that’s exactly what happened! The younger kids thought of Louise as a “Water Doctor” and expressed a desire to “be water scientists” when they grew up. 

One of our educators, Adrianna Bilinkski, explained, “At the water treatment plant many of the students knew Louise, and her face lit up to see them and their excitement to learn about her work. There were many hugs given, and one student exclaimed to Louise ‘I didn’t know you were a scientist!’ and proceeded to say, ‘I want to be a scientist when I get older’.” 

On the final day, Veronica Dokis shared some of Dokis’ history with the students. Reaching back to where the people lived in 1850 with the signing of the Robinson-Huron treaty. She explained that the people used large canoes to travel the lakes and river when the water was open, and horse-drawn sleds when the water was frozen over. She encouraged them to go home and ask their grandparents or others in the community about these times because they actually lived it; they remember how vital the water was to the people. 

Future Water Quality Analysts in Training

A key aspect of our training programs is to create the bridge between the solid base of knowledge and skills that partners currently have to where they are wanting to get to. So, when the interns of the Drinking Water Internship were preparing to write the most challenging of the three certification exams, we created an entirely new workshop to build the foundation necessary for water quality analysis. This week-long workshop took the interns on a deep dive into atomic, water and solution chemistry through hands-on lab activities and group work.

In the second week-long workshop, which culminated with writing the exam on the 5th day, the interns practiced with mock exams, interactive games, and group work to help study, practice, and boost confidence in an engaging and fun way. Now that they have written the exam we are eagerly awaiting the results. 

Learn more about the Drinking Water Internship here.

How to Be the Safety Line

How to Be the Safety Line

An Intern's Perspective on the Water First Internship Program

Written by Nick Chapman, Water First Intern from Temagami First Nation.

Young Indigenous adults in Water First’s Drinking Water Internship Program are training to get the greatest results for the environment, learning how to operate in a water treatment plant and eventually becoming a water treatment plant operators.

Water First has developed a close relationship with me and the other interns, who have joined them in the fight for clean drinking water.

Together, we’ve studied how water treatment facilities work, how to filter water in various ways, and have received general training to aid us in the future. We’ve learned about watersheds and water sources, HR policies, water treatment processes, PPE (personal protective equipment) and why it’s used, work health and safety awareness, water quality results, AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) training, community water issues, math and chemistry, and equipment/appliances during the three weeks of virtual training. But there’s way more: we have learned about pipes and valves, wells, how water treatment facilities are placed in an environment, and a whole lot more.

Everyone has their Small Systems Certification accomplished, which made us all extremely excited, and we also have the OIT (Operator-in-Training) Certification. More recently, we wrote our ELC (Entry-Level Course) exams, which happened in November 2021 – everyone passed with flying colours!

Water First Intern: Dyami Tuskin

“I like Water First for all of the training and work opportunities for the First Nations communities.”

“I feel very fortunate to have this amazing opportunity to work with Water First. To better support my community and the protection of clean water for generations to come.”

One of the amazing things that Water Fist has done for the interns was give us a chance to be ourselves, telling stories when we had time, making Jamboards to show our beliefs and goals. That way, even though we were all online, we could feel connected to everyone and not so alone while training. They created a Facebook page and messaging group, so everyone can post pictures, ask questions, talk about what they did at the plants, and overall, to stay connected. Water First interns and instructors have even done some travelling: we’ve gone to Killarney, Sudbury, and we’re working on our own reserves, as well. 

Right now, we are working on Geographic Information System (GIS), learning how to create maps and how to use them correctly. Then, we will be studying for either our Wastewater OIT (Operator-in-Training) Exam or Class 1 Exam. We are all wishing each other good luck!

We have had community members and Elders come in to share their point of view on things, like water treatment plants and water itself. Water First is teaching in different ways, so everyone can learn the way they learn best. Our group of interns and the instructors at Water First have been showing great strength and are constantly proving that we want a better future for our environment and that safe drinking water is the way to go!

“Hello my name is Nick Chapman; I am from Temagami First Nation.

Why I joined this internship was because I just got out of high school and I had no idea what I wanted to do or be, then this internship fell onto my lap out of nowhere and I decided to sign up to give it a try.

Since then, I have loved every minute of it. Working with Water First has been a blessing. I have grown new skills and experiences I’d never thought I would get.

I have taught children at my reserve what Water Treatment Operators are and how water is tested and analyzed. It was amazing seeing my community learning about what I’m trying to be.

My favourite memory Is learning how to be the “Safety Line” as I call it, making sure that everyone gets across the water safely and setting the line-up.

I love how in Water First we are all a team and are working hard to help our First Nation communities.”

A look into the Internship Program:

To learn more about the Drinking Water Internship Program, click here!

Taking Water Quality Testing to the Great Outdoors

In June of 2021, the Drinking Water Internship with Waabnoong Bemjiwang Associations of First Nations began, in partnership with Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, Anishinabek Nation and all the participating communities began. Since then, the cohort of interns have been busy studying, writing provincial certification exams and working in their local water treatment plants.

The Drinking Water Internship program includes a week of training on the Introduction to Environmental Water.

Interns practiced with equipment that gathers data to assess stream health and collected bugs in the water. The kinds of bugs they found can be linked to overall water quality.
Interns practiced how to use equipment for collecting water samples at various depths in the water column.
Nick and Destiny collected water quality data from the boat using a YSI - they tested for pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and temperature.
Interns went on a boat tour and learnt about the petroglyphs in the area and the history behind them. Justin, one of the Water First instructor, invited his grandmother on the excursion. She lives in Whitefish River First Nation and grew up in Wiikwemkong, very close to Killarney. She shared what she knew about the history of the petroglyphs and the surrounding area.
Liam used a microscope to inspect benthic invertebrates and plankton collected from the water. The species present can be linked to overall water quality.
An operator from the local water treatment plant in Killarney gave the interns a tour of the plant and the city’s wastewater lagoons.

Concern for water challenges in Indigenous communities runs deep at Rotary

For years, the Rotary Club of Guelph’s Indigenous Awareness (IA) Committee puzzled over how they could meaningfully support Indigenous communities in their right to access clean drinking water. “It’s ridiculous that a country like Canada has drinking water issues. It doesn’t make sense. Personally, I believe we need to help support Indigenous Peoples and clean water is where we can start,” said Dianne Dance, whose mother spearheaded the Guelph chapter’s Indigenous Awareness Committee in 2012 and inspired her to get involved.

Despite their motivation to help, the committee acknowledged that water challenges are complex. To move the needle on this challenge requires more than money and outrage. 

And then they learned about Water First.

In February 2019, after a meeting with Water First and learning about the approach to building strong partnerships with Indigenous communities that create lasting results, “We finally felt that maybe this is some way we can support the water issue in Indigenous communities,” said Dianne.

The powerful Rotary wheels began to turn. Concern turned into action.

A sustainable outlook

While the IA committee was researching how to best help, the rest of the Rotary Club of Guelph, along with 30 other Ontario Rotary clubs, were working on a special fundraiser to support clean water projects in Ontario.

“My dream was that the money raised would go towards a water project in Indigenous communities within Canada, because the need here is as great or greater than a lot of Rotary’s international [water] projects,” said Helmuth Slisarenko, a retired auto mechanic and active member of the Rotary Club of Guelph.

The IA and the fundraising committees came together and decided to fund the Water First Internship Program. “One of the things that attracted us to this program was the education aspect. We could see that through training local personnel, water treatment infrastructure would be well-used, well-maintained and ultimately achieve its purpose, which is to make sure that everybody has access to clean water,” said Liz Sandals, a Rotary Club of Guelph member, former Guelph MPP and Ontario Minister of Education.

Rotarians planting the Rotary Forest in Guelph Ontario

From ‘seed money’ to global grant

Inspired by the Water First Internship Program, the Rotary Club of Guelph’s “grant guru”, Ab Moore, suggested they use the funds raised to apply for a district grant to match donations for further funding. In addition, they applied to the Rotary Foundation for the possibility of securing a Global Grant. Soon, members from various Rotary clubs were convening via Zoom to discuss the program and to try to accumulate as many “club” funds as possible to maximize district and Rotary Foundation matching grant dollars.

By the summer of 2020, the Global Grant was approved by Rotary International for approximately $115,000 for Water First to use these funds for the Internship program being delivered in partnership with eight Indigenous communities in the Georgian Bay area of Ontario. 

“For the Rotary International committee to match the funds that we raised for this program certainly speaks to the faith and trust we have in Water First in carrying out this program,” said Helmuth.

The impact on Water First

“We started our third internship in June 2021 and we wouldn’t have been able to do that without the support of Rotary,” said Water First Development Manager, Sam Murray. “In addition to funding this program, we have received many inquiries from Rotary clubs across Ontario and Manitoba because of the awareness raised about Water First and our work in partnership with Indigenous communities. These connections are very significant for us and our programs.”

Dianne is gratified that the work she and her fellow Rotary club members have done will have an impact on the work that Water First is dedicated to. “[The interest] speaks to how much Canadians are concerned about this, and have been wanting to help but not knowing how. Clubs are waking up to the fact that we can be involved in a meaningful way to support Indigenous communities in Canada.”

The Rotary Club of Guelph has proven that sometimes a single drop of interest in water issues can turn into a deluge.

The Georgian Bay Internship is Underway

This past month, Water First launched the next Water First Internship Program in the Georgian Bay area in partnership with Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN)Gezhtoojig Employment & Training, Anishinabek Nation, and all the participating communities. This program will train 16 young Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators. All partners are committed to addressing the local need for more young and qualified personnel in the water management field to help ensure safe drinking water in communities.

Below is a personal reflection from Justin McGregor, Water First Internship Coordinator & Trainer:

Aanii,

We kicked off a new Internship Program with eight participating communities at the end of June. I have to say that so far the engagement and participation has been amazing. We have a strong group of interns who are eager to learn new skills with regards to Water Treatment, as well as Environmental Monitoring. 

Due to COVID restrictions, we started the program with 3 weeks of online introductory workshop sessions that included online learning and hands-on activities they could do at home or that took them outside. 

After that, they started a Small Drinking Water Systems online certification course. This course is the perfect start for our interns to get introduced to their roles as future water operators and water quality analysts. It is geared to be a stepping point to learn best practices and theory on what it is like day-to-day in a typical water treatment plant and what to expect for future certification exams. 

Working with the interns using online delivery has its limitations, but we were able to help them navigate the course through a week-long session where we discussed, summarized and reviewed topics that we found interesting and challenging. I feel confident that it really helped ensure that the interns retained the main topics of each section.

Upon successfully passing the exam, the interns will be considered a ‘trained person’ which means they will be able to assist in the daily routines at their local water treatment plants to ensure clean drinking water is being distributed to the community. These are exciting times for these interns. Stay tuned for more updates. 

Miigwetch, 
Justin 

“The water needs our help.”

Tasha Beeds, a Plains Cree Mide-Kwe and Water Walker, has walked nearly 7,000 km to raise awareness about the current state of water systems in Canada and the United States. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Indigenous Studies at Trent University with a research focus on violence, Indigenous women, and Cree consciousness. 

Tasha shared her knowledge and experiences with Nibi (water) to the Indigenous youth interested in applying for the Waabnoong Drinking Water Internship. She inspired us all with stories of her journeys across her ancestral lands and shared the ways in which we can engage with and help the water.

This is one of the many ways the Water First interns will be learning to use non-Indigenous tools alongside Traditional Knowledge and methods to help the water and people in their communities. We value this immensely. 

A big thank you to Tasha Beeds for the opportunity to hear her speak and for her permission to share this video.

Launch of The Georgian Bay Drinking Water Internship

Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations (WBAFN) and Water First are proud to launch the Drinking Water Internship Program in member communities. This program trains young Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators.

WBAFN has invested $50,100 toward the Internship Program, along with staff and community resources. 

Together, WBAFN and Water First are committed to addressing local needs for more young and qualified personnel in the water management field to help ensure safe drinking water in communities.

Not only for today, but for future generations.  

Left to Right: Ryan Tabobondung, Waabnoong Bemjiwang Association of First Nations’ Board President and Chair of the Council of Chiefs, presents Water First Executive Director John Millar with a cheque of $50,100 in support of the Internship Program to be delivered in collaboration with member communities.

Gearing up for the New Internship in Georgian Bay

Training Designed to Meet a Need

Nobody understands the evolving drinking water challenges and needs of Indigenous communities more than the people who live there. Our training programs are designed to meet the needs that have been identified by our Indigenous community partners. With drinking water challenges, individuals who run treatment plants are vital to sustainable solutions.

We are very excited to share that 16 interns from 8 communities will be hired to train as drinking water operators starting June 2021:

Watch this clip where Mike Murray, project coordinator for the WBAFN Water and Wastewater Treatment Systems HUB, explains how the Water First Internship will benefit the First Nations communities in the Georgian Bay area.

Recruitment and Hiring

Water First and our community partners are gearing up for a combination of virtual and in-person recruitment aimed at building community awareness and generating excitement around the Internship. From our previous experiences, we have found this to be an area where Water First can provide valuable support. Watch for updates this summer when we introduce the new cohort of Water First interns!

Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter to stay up to date with our programs and how we are making a real difference, one community at a time.

Alumni graduate Amy Waboose working in her community drinking water treatment plant.