A new editorial synthesis in Water examines how freshwater use and energy sustainability are increasingly linked across agriculture, industry, irrigation, hydropower, wastewater treatment, and climate adaptation. Authored by Winnie Gerbens-Leenes and Santiago D. Vaca-Jiménez, the article reviews five contributions from Sudan, China, Ecuador, Greece, and Spain, each applying water footprint methods or related assessment tools to improve resource efficiency. The reviewed studies show that water efficiency gains are possible, but they often involve trade-offs. For instance, drip irrigation can reduce blue water footprints, yet it requires energy. Wastewater treatment can reduce blue and grey water footprints, but deeper treatment can...