The impact of new quality productivity development on water resource utilization efficiency in China

[Objective] Centered on technological innovation, new quality productivity offers a new opportunity for the efficient utilization of water resources. How to effectively leverage the water-saving and consumption-reducing effects of new quality productivity has become an important topic for advancing water resource management reform and high-quality development of water conservancy in the new era. [Methods] Based on the panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2021, this study employed the bidirectional fixed model, mechanism testing model, and spatial econometric model to empirically analyze the relationship between new quality productivity and water resource utilization efficiency. [Results] (1) The development of new quality productivity significantly promoted the improvement of water resource utilization efficiency. This conclusion remains robust after a series of tests, including replacing key variables and using instrumental variable methods. (2) From the perspective of spatial heterogeneity, the impact of new quality productivity on enhancing water resource utilization efficiency was more pronounced in humid regions, regions with higher human capital potential, and the Yangtze River Basin. Furthermore, in regions with high levels of new quality productivity, their water-saving and consumption-reducing effects exhibited a “icing on the cake” phenomenon. (3) New quality productivity improved water resource utilization efficiency through technological innovation effects, data factor allocation effects, and industrial structure upgrading effects. (4) There were significant spatial effects in the regional water resource utilization efficiency. The development of new quality productivity not only enhanced the water resource utilization efficiency within a region but also promoted efficiency improvements in neighboring regions. [Conclusion] Therefore, it is necessary to unleash the potential of technological innovation, deepen the development and utilization of data factors, strengthen regional coordination, and effectively improve water resource utilization efficiency through new quality productivity.