纽约市被视为老化供水系统的原型，它面临着城市供水设施的四个基本问题:提供足够的水量、保持高质量、确保供水和分配的可靠性，以及为资本需求融资。纽约市和所有老城区的经济活力取决于能否成功解决这些问题。

New York City, perceived as a prototype of aging water systems, faces the four fundamental problems of urban water utilities: providing sufficient quantities, maintaining high quality, ensuring reliability of supply and distribution, and financing capital needs. The economic viability of New York City and all older urban areas depends on solving these problems successfully.