<p>Integrating sustainability into water and energy systems requires decision-making frameworks capable of addressing multiple and often conflicting objectives. This study applies the VIKOR (VIšekriterijumsko KOmpromisno Rangiranje) multi-criteria decision-making method to evaluate three strategic alternatives: (A) a hybrid solar–wind microgrid, (B) a wastewater recycling system with energy recovery, and (C) an AI-enabled smart water distribution network. The projects were assessed using six sustainability criteria: resource efficiency, emissions, biodiversity impact, ecosystem integrity, economic viability, and social acceptance. Performance evaluations were obtained from 30 domain experts and aggregated into a structured decision matrix. The VIKOR analysis identifies the wastewater recycling and energy recovery system (Project B) as the most balanced compromise solution, achieving the lowest compromise index and demonstrating stable performance across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. The hybrid microgrid (Project A) ranked second, showing strong overall sustainability performance but comparatively lower social acceptance. The AI-enabled network (Project C) ranked third, reflecting high efficiency and economic viability but relatively weaker environmental performance. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the ranking across varying decision-strategy preferences. The findings provide policy-relevant insights aligned with Sustainable Development Goals related to water and clean energy and demonstrate the applicability of the VIKOR framework as a structured tool for managing trade-offs in complex sustainability planning contexts.</p>