The Khazar Journal of Water and Environment (KJWE) applies an anonymous reviewer/disclosed author peer review system, under which the identities of reviewers are concealed, while the identities of authors are disclosed throughout the review process. This approach is intended to ensure fairness, objectivity, and scientific rigor in editorial decision-making.

Upon submission, each manuscript is initially screened by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated Associate Editor to assess its relevance to the journal’s scope, preliminary scientific quality, compliance with publication ethics, and originality, including plagiarism screening. Manuscripts that do not meet these basic requirements are declined at this stage without external review.

Manuscripts passing the initial assessment are sent to at least three independent reviewers with expertise in the subject area. Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript based on the following criteria:

• Scientific originality and contribution to knowledge
• Soundness of methodology and analytical approaches
• Clarity, coherence, and organization of the manuscript
• Significance and relevance of the findings to the scientific community
• Compliance with ethical standards of research

Based on reviewers’ reports, one of the following editorial decisions is made:

• Accept as submitted
• Accept after minor revisions
• Reconsider after major revisions
• Reject

The final decision regarding acceptance or rejection rests solely with the Editor-in-Chief. The journal is committed to conducting the peer review process in a timely, transparent, and respectful manner.