Water Supply is an internationally renowned, fully Open Access, scientific journal, with a context inextricably linked, throughout time and even more so in modern times, to food security, the sustainability of ecosystems and well-functioning societies. In line with this, we are very delighted to serve as the new Editors-in-Chief of Water Supply and we are deeply grateful for the valuable work offered by Slobodan Djordjević as Editor-in-Chief of Water Supply over the last four years. At the same time, we feel a great responsibility for the valuable legacy that Slobodan Djordjević leaves us with, in order for the journal to continue its upward course to becoming a leader in the field of water science; this will be our target for the next years serving as Editors-in-Chief.

The scope of the journal has been split into three new distinct and thought-provoking topics: (a) Water Quality/Water Treatment, (b) Water Management and (c) Design & Modelling. For each of these topics, there is a specific subject-focused Editor-in-Chief.

Thus, starting with Water Quality/Water Treatment, the corresponding Editor-in-Chief is Pawan Labhasetwar. With direct impacts on consumers’ health, water quality and water treatment are important research issues globally. Over the past few decades, deterioration in water quality has also led to advancement in analytical techniques to quantify water contaminants even at very low detection levels. Water treatment technologies are available for various hydrologic, environmental, social and economic settings. Researchers have evolved many solutions in search of robust, cost-effective and easy to implement, operate and maintain water treatment technologies. Optimization of water treatment technologies is also a significant research question, e.g. maximize water recovery in reverse osmosis technology. Climate-resilient water treatment technologies and adaptation measures to safeguard water supply infrastructure, e.g. prevent inundation of water treatment plants during extreme weather events, have also gained importance among researchers.

The Water Management topic of Water Supply is led by Editor-in-Chief Nektarios Kourgialas and it has 21 specific scientific fields. These fields are significantly unique covering all the context of innovation in water management, from the recognition of problems to their applied solutions through strong scientific documentation, as well as the usability of the results by stakeholders and/or their integration into the educational process. Specifically, the Water Management topic welcomes papers within the following main areas: surface water and groundwater management with emphasis on water storage management, climate change impacts on water supply and at specific climates, management approaches in water reuse and recycling, smart water supply systems, the newest developments in irrigation management and agronomic practices ensuring the adaptability of water supply and crop production systems, water supply in the urban sector, water utility management including economic and social aspects, the promising water-energy-food nexus section, water security and safety plans as well as the notable category of environmental education and communication for improving water management. This last field could be a milestone for Water Supply as the research findings could be linked to education and be communicated to end users, by providing evidence of the applicability of scientific results and supporting multistakeholder dialogue. The stakeholders and the education process will in turn feed back and inspire research on new challenges and the need for improvement.

Last but not least, is the topic of Design & Modelling which is led by Editor-in-Chief Gabriele Freni. Water Supply Design & Modelling has undergone significant advancements over the years. Initially, research focused on identifying water sources and constructing basic infrastructure for storage and distribution. However, with the advent of technology and scientific knowledge, researchers began integrating tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and detailed modeling software. These innovations enhanced the design process, allowing for more efficient water supply systems. Research has also addressed emerging challenges like climate change and water scarcity, leading to the development of innovative solutions such as rainwater harvesting and advanced purification technologies. Moreover, the integration of data-driven approaches like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has further improved decision-making processes in water supply design research. Overall, these advancements have ensured the provision of clean and safe water to communities while promoting sustainability and resilience.

The broad readership of Water Supply throughout research institutions, universities and industry globally is ensured through the multifunctional role of the journal, its clear innovative character, and the speed with which a correct and informed decision is taken, as well as the full, free, open access for all papers. Water Supply also benefits from being part of IWA Publishing's Subscribe to Open programme, meaning that the journal is free to read and free to publish in, thanks to the generosity of our subscribers. These factors allow the journal to reach a wide potential authorship and secure a global readership guaranteeing the leading role of Water Supply in the field of water science.

© 2023 The Authors
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY 4.0), which permits copying, adaptation and redistribution, provided the original work is properly cited (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).