<p>Groundwater is one of the indispensable resources for agriculture, drinking, and industry. Lack of attention and proper treatment of contaminated water resources can cause extensive environmental problems. In recent years, the coincidence of concepts such as sustainable development and renewable energy with the emergence of permeable reactive barrier technology has been intriguing. This low-energy, cost-effective technology makes it a viable alternative to traditional methods for improving the quality of water resources. Also, the passive nature of this technology increases its acceptance in rural areas with simpler hydrogeological conditions, while its integration into urban environments remains challenging due to spatial constraints and complex subsurface infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and potential applications of this technology in groundwater remediation. To conduct this study, a literature search was conducted from January 1995 to June 2025 by focusing on recent studies with impressive results in the online scholarly resource Scopus in the field of permeable reactive barriers with any study design (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods). This study introduces permeable reactive barrier technology, explores its designs, installation methods, and examples of reactive materials, and provides an overview of remediation procedures and sustainability. The use of this often low-cost, low-risk, effective, and sustainable technology in developing countries would also be promising, and its performance depends on reactive material selection, Site-specific hydrogeologic conditions, and monitoring. </p> Graphic abstract <p></p>