国际水务部门面临着大量挑战，其中最重要的是需要在资源不断减少的情况下管理老化的基础设施。例如，在过去20年中，水利设施、当局和市政当局对其地下资产的投资严重不足。在发达市场，每年0.5%的地下基础设施更新率很常见，相当于地下基础设施的长期平均使用年限约为200年。根据管道的平均使用寿命来看，应该是50到70年。正是在这种投资不足的背景下，水务部门放松管制的兴起。本文分析了放松管制对英国水工业的影响。论文还讨论了组织设计和战略规划在帮助水务公司适应不断变化的环境中的作用。 最后，介绍了英国水务行业内新兴的商业模式。包括8个参考文献、图表。

The international water sector is facing a significant number of challenges, mostnotably the need to manage an aging infrastructure base with diminishing resources. As an example, water utilities, authorities, and municipalities have significantly under-invested in their underground assets over the last 20 years. Buried infrastructure renewal rates of 0.5% per year are commonplace in the developed markets, equating to a long-term average age of buried infrastructure of some200 years. This should be viewed against the average 50 to 70 year lifespan of most pipe materials. It is against this background of under-investment that the rise of water sector deregulation has taken place. This paper presents an analysis of the effects of deregulation on the water industry in the United Kingdom. The paper also discusses the role of organizational design and strategic planning in helping water utilities adapt to the changing environment. Finally, emerging business models within the British water industry are presented. Includes 8 references, figures.