Wunnumin water treatment plant operator wins award

Wunnumin Lake’s Clifford Mamakwa recently took home this year’s Aboriginal Water and Waste Water Association of Ontario Water Treatment Plant Operator of the Year award.
“It would not have been possible if it were not for the tremendous support I have with my employer Wunnumin Lake First Nation and my co-worker Ronnie Martin,” Mamkwa said about the award he received during AWWAO’s 17th Annual General Assembly and Training Conference, held Feb. 27-March 2 at the Casino Rama Hotel in Chippewas of Rama First Nation.
Mamakwa currently holds Level III Water Treatment certification after working at the community’s water treatment plant for the past seven years since the plant was built in 2004 and began operating in 2005.
“I actually got there by chance,” Mamakwa said. “I was working there during the construction of the treatment plant (and) they were looking for some people that had a high school diploma. That’s how I got in.”
Mamakwa enjoys his work at the water treatment plant.
“It’s a good job,” Mamakwa said. “We do weekly bacteriological samples, we also fill in our daily log sheets, like the flowmeters and pump hours, et cetera, and just to keep an eye on everything (so) that everything is working as it should be.”
Mamakwa felt humbled when he found out an associate had nominated him for the award.
“I couldn’t put it into words,” Mamakwa said.
Mamakwa plans to continue working at the community water treatment plant in the future.
“I’m very much happy where I am right now,” Mamakwa said. “It’s very good to have the support. The co-worker I work with is a very good guy and I’m glad I have an individual like him to work with. He’s been on this (job) for more than me, probably even more than 20 years now.”