Sustainability in Urban Water Resource Management
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 23 June 2026 | Viewed by 61
Special Issue Editor
Interests: water governance; energy saving in water and wastewater systems; lifecycle assessment (LCA); water economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Urban water resources face increasing pressures due to population growth, urban expansion, climate change, and competing demands from domestic, industrial, and recreational uses. Water scarcity, deteriorating water quality, aging infrastructure, and extreme weather events pose significant challenges to sustainable urban water management. Inadequate governance frameworks and fragmented policies further exacerbate these issues, leading to inefficiencies in water distribution, heightened vulnerability to climate change, and increased financial burdens on municipalities and citizens.
A holistic and integrated approach to urban water resource management is required to address these challenges effectively. Sustainable solutions must consider water conservation strategies, innovative water treatment and reuse technologies, improved infrastructure resilience, digital water management tools, and inclusive governance mechanisms that engage stakeholders at multiple levels. Additionally, circular economy principles can enhance sustainability by optimizing the use of water, energy, and materials in urban water cycles.
This Special Issue aims to explore the latest advancements and innovative solutions for sustainable urban water resource management. It will cover research on cutting-edge technologies, governance models, and strategic planning approaches that contribute to resilient and efficient urban water systems.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
- Integrated urban water resource management;
- Climate-resilient water governance in cities;
- Smart and digital solutions for urban water systems;
- Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDSs);
- Water reuse and recycling strategies in urban environments;
- Green and blue infrastructure for urban water management;
- Circular economy approaches in urban water systems;
- Advanced water treatment technologies for urban applications;
- Leakage detection and reduction strategies in urban water distribution;
- Water–energy nexus in urban water systems;
- Stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches in urban water governance;
- Policy and regulatory frameworks for sustainable urban water management;
- Economic and financial models for urban water sustainability;
- Urban water security under climate change scenarios;
- Nature-based solutions for urban water resilience;
- Lifecycle assessment (LCA) of urban water infrastructure and services.
This Special Issue seeks contributions from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working on innovative methodologies and case studies that demonstrate sustainable, efficient, and resilient urban water management practices. By fostering an interdisciplinary dialog, we aim to advance solutions that ensure equitable and sustainable water access for urban populations while mitigating the environmental and socio-economic impacts of water scarcity and mismanagement.
Dr. Eleonora Santos
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- urban water governance
- water scarcity management
- smart water systems
- sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDSs)
- water reuse and recycling
- green and blue infrastructure
- water–energy nexus
- climate-resilient water management
- circular economy in water systems
- digital water management solutions
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