In　the　present　study,　a　two-stage　data　envelopment　analysis　(DEA)　model　and　spatial　econometric　method　were　employed　to　evaluate　and　analyze　the　utilization　efficiency　of　urban　water　resources　and　spatial-temporal　differences　in　cities　of　China.　The　traditional　DEA　model　was　enhanced　by　adopting　the　Shannon　entropy　in　the　first　stage.　After　selecting　variables　based　on　the　previous　step　and　the　Bayes　information　criterion　(BIC),　redundant　variables　were　removed.　In　the　meanwhile,　a　comprehensive　efficiency　score　(CES)　was　generated　to　rank　the　efficiency.　Finally,　spatial　econometric　analysis　was　applied　to　explore　the　spatial-temporal　differences　of　urban　water　resource　utilization　efficiency.　Results　demonstrate　that:　1)　according　to　the　calculations　and　analysis,　communities　should　concentrate　on　increasing　investment　in　equipment　and　technology　that　can　help　enhance　water　consumption　efficiency,　while　overlooking　some　minor　aspects,　such　as　per　capita　gross　domestic　product　(PCGDP);　2)　most　cities　have　poor　water　resource　utilization　efficiency　(low　CES).　However,　both　input　and　output　have　much　room　for　the　improvement;　3)　Lhasa,　Beijing,　Haikou,　and　Shanghai　have　high　CES,　indicating　that　the　utilization　efficiency　of　water　resources　is　not　entirely　dependent　on　economic　development;　and　4)　through　performing　the　Lagrange　multiplier　(LM)　test,　the　spatial　error　model　(SEM)　test　is　passed　at　the　significant　level　of　5%.　Moreover,　the　water　resource　utilization　efficiency　of　a　city　may　be　enhanced　with　the　economic　development　in　neighboring　cities.　©　2014　IEEE.