It is my great honour and pleasure to invite you to participate in UNIZULU’s “International Conference on Water Challenges and Solutions (ICWCS 2026)” hosted by the University of Zululand and Chang’an University, China. This conference presents a unique opportunity for participants from South Africa and across the globe, including researchers, scientists, professors, industry representatives, and students, to convene and engage in reporting, sharing, and discussing scientific questions, achievements, and challenges in the field. The primary objective of the conference is to explore advances, experiences, and innovative ideas related to Emerging Water Issues and Solutions. Participants will have the chance to share their experiences and research findings, discuss challenges encountered and solutions adopted, and establish productive new academic and industry research collaborations. We highly encourage students and researchers to attend, providing them with the opportunity to gain and share knowledge in Water & Environmental sciences.