Applied Water Science explores water scarcity solutions from a holistic system oriented viewpoint. From the sustainable management of natural water resources to the development of the technologies and infrastructure for the production of clean fresh water from natural and waste water. The journal accepts innovative and sound theoretical research on different water issues, exploring potential alternative water sources via recycling and reuse of wastewater with a focus on arid and semiarid environments and the following topics; water desalination, drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, water resources planning, investigation and management.

Applied Water Science is a quarterly Open Access journal (supported by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology) free to submit and free to read for all. Article-processing charges are covered for all authors. It accepts original and review articles as well as book reviews for publication. All the manuscripts are single-blind peer-reviewed for scientific quality and acceptance.

Every year KACST awards the best paper with the KACST Medal and $ 5000.

In July 2015, Thomson Reuters has decided to add Applied Water Science to the newly created Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) in the Web of Science (WoS).