Many community water supply systems in British Columbia, and across Canada, do not provide adequate protection against potential water quality problems caused by the presence of Giardia lamblia cysts or Cryptosporidium occysts.

One of the major water sources for the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario is the Loch Lomond water supply that provides raw water to the city via 4.5 km pipeline and tunnel. Historically, the only treatment provided was chlorine disinfection and corrosion control. In 1997, Giardia were detected in the water supply, resulting in an immediate boil water order. What followed over the next year was the development and implementation of a water treatment plan to deal with the crisis situation.

The solution implemented was the construction of a 40 ML/d water treatment plant incorporating membrane filtration technology. Key to the successful resolution of the water quality crisis was the city's ability to plan, pilot-test, design, construct and commission the water treatment plant in less than a year. This involved engineering studies and a series of public meeting to agree on the solution. Fast-track design, equipment procurement, and construction then had to proceed on a greatly compressed schedule.