Water–energy–food (WEF) entanglement is intensifying and
technology is being presented as a crucial solution. But time and
again the implemented alternative manifests results contrary to the
objectives of design or management. To advance water security,
transparent and complete input–output methodologies are needed.
Here, a Sefficiency (sustainable efficiency) framework is used to
reason through systemic analyses of options for WEF schemes by
using water quantity within a comprehensive water balance, and
quality and benefits in a multilevel water-use system. An energy
regime (cost and normalized functions) and Sefficiency compute
performance of four cases that show flaws both conceptually and
practically in current policy and scientific tendencies.