In 1938, prompted by concerns over source water contamination, a major component to the Dalton water system was added with the construction of a slow sand filtration plant. This filtration plant has served the town adequately over the last five decades. However, the aging facility, in conjunction with more stringent water quality regulations, have resulted in the need to make major improvements. While slow sand filtration has received renewed interest for treating many small systems (because of its ease in operations), it is probably not appropriate for Dalton, Massachusetts, due to the presence of trihalomethane precursors in the raw water. For this reason, and to provide flexibility to meet future regulations, a modern rapid sand filtration process was recommended. The quick-fix for Dalton, Massachusetts, meant doing the minimal amount of work necessary to bring the existing 56 year old slow sand filtration plant into compliance with current regulations. Primarily the work consisted of: providing enclosed treated water storage; adding disinfection and corrosion control systems; and providing automation for water quality monitoring and controls. Providing automation in the design was critical because the operators were used to a low maintenance, trouble-free system. Without a doubt, the facility upgrade will do much to ensure that a high quality drinking water is delivered to the community. The improvements have been long overdue. Unfortunately, the money spent may not be enough to ensure adequate treatment into the next century.