Solar　vapor　generation　is　a　facile　and　effective　approach　to　harvest　pure　water　from　seawater　and　polluted　water,　and　diverse　of　materials　or　microstructure　tuning　methods　have　been　reported　to　promote　the　evaporation　rate.　Nevertheless,　the　vapor　yield　via　current　solar　water　purification　technology　is　limited　due　to　high　water　evaporation　enthalpy　arising　from　the　strong　intermolecular　hydrogen　bonds.　In　this　study,　we　advanced　the　solar　evaporator　architecture　by　adding　another　activated　water　reservoir　beneath　it.　As　such,　the　bottom　poly　(acrylic　acid-co-acrylamide)　(PAA-AM)　layer　could　supply　ample　activated　water　(reduced　evaporation　enthalpy)　to　the　top　layer　for　solar　water　evaporation　due　to　the　increased　intermediate　water.　By　tuning　the　microstructure　of　PAA-AM　bottom-layer　with　pH,　the　optimal　dual-layer　hydrogel　evaporator　presents　a　superior　water　evaporation　rate　of　2.79　kg　m−2h−1　under　one　sun,　62.2　%　enhancement　compared　with　the　single-layer　PPy@PAA-AM　solar　evaporator　(formed　by　in　situ　polymerization　of　pyrrole　in　the　PAA-AM　hydrogel).　We　demonstrated　the　strategy　was　applicable　to　other　single-layer　evaporators.　The　fabricated　flexible　dual-layer　hydrogel　evaporator　was　employed　for　real　seawater　desalination　and　water　purification　from　polluted　solutions,　manifesting　great　possibility　for　the　deployment　to　alleviate　the　water　scarcity　crisis,　particularly　for　the　economically　stressed　communities.　©　2023　Elsevier　B.V.