The　increasing　stringency　of　standards　has　highlighted　challenges　in　high-standard　wastewater　treatment　and　water　reuse.　Current　water　quality　assessment　primarily　relies　on　bulk　properties　like　chemical　oxygen　demand　(COD)　and　biological　oxygen　demand　(BOD),　which　fail　to　capture　the　intricate　characteristics　of　wastewater　contaminants.　The　novel　concept　of　＇feature　of　water＇,　a　multidimensional　assessment　system　encompassing　four　primary　indicators:　quantitative　concentration,　compositional　characteristics,　transformation　potential,　and　toxicological　effects,　is　applied　in　the　study.　Unlike　conventional　linear　approaches,　feature　of　water　provides　a　holistic　perspective　on　wastewater　composition,　examining　pollutant　variations　across　temporal　and　spatial　dimensions.　Applications　of　the　feature　of　water　concept　include　the　identification　of　refractory　pollutants,　evaluation　of　treatment　processes,　and　the　design　of　tailored　treatment　technologies.　Case　studies　demonstrate　its　effectiveness　in　improving　water　treatment　efficiency,　reducing　operational　costs,　and　mitigating　ecological　risks.　By　transitioning　from　traditional　linear　water　quality　evaluation　to　a　systems-based　approach,　the　feature　of　water　provides　a　robust　methodology　to　meet　the　demands　of　high-standard　wastewater　treatment　and　water　reuse,　ensuring　environmental　sustainability　and　public　health　protection.　©　2025　The　Authors