The inclusion of the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE) into the SafeCREW consortium represents a significant advancement for the safety and sustainability of drinking water in western Ukraine. The objective is the transfer and adaptation of methodologies and practical approaches developed in SafeCREW to a less developed eastern European country. This objective will be accomplished by leveraging NUWEE's expertise in water research and access to drinking water distribution network infrastructure to adapt and implement the SafeCREW methodologies for the benefit of western Ukraine via 1) monitoring water quality in riverbank filtration (RBF) used for drinking water production; 2) using monitoring results for risk-based planning of future interventions; 3) implementing risk-based management through the creation of Water Safety Plans; 5) adapting hydraulic models and establishing soft sensors for conditions with limited data availability; 6) identifying regulatory and real-life gaps in Ukrainian and European drinking water quality guideline values; and 7) providing a roadmap for the establishment of a Centre for Excellence in Water Management at NUWEE. The activities proposed will be primarily carried out by NUWEE, in collaboration with other SafeCREW partners. This partnership with NUWEE serves as a valuable replication test case for transfer of EU water sector knowledge to less developed states, and is particularly timely for improving the safety and sustainability of drinking water for Ukraine, a candidate for EU accession. NUWEE’s inclusion will not only extend the reach of the EU DWD into Ukraine but also introduce the EU's science-based policy-making approaches to the Ukrainian water sector. By doing so, it will showcase NUWEE as a formidable research partner in eastern Europe and provide NUWEE with the tools to participate in further European research and innovation projects.