Abstract: Water resources, as fundamental natural assets and strategic economic resources, are crucial to national sustainable development amid rapid economic and social growth. Based on data on water resource and water consumption across China’s ten primary water resource zones from 2015 to 2024, and incorporating findings from the Third National Water Resources Survey and Assessment, this study systematically analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of water resources and water consumption in China during 2015—2024 using the Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen slope estimator. The results indicate that between 2015 and 2024, the total national water resources increased by 2.08% compared to the baseline value of the Third National Water Resources Survey and Assessment, showing a spatial pattern of "increase in the north and decrease in the south." Specifically, water resources in Northern China increased by approximately 13.16%, while a slight decline occurred in the southern region. National total water consumption exhibited an overall downward trend, accompanied by shifts in the water use structure, domestic and ecological water consumption increased notably, with ecological water consumption rising by 243.8%; meanwhile, industrial and agricultural water consumption decreased, with agricultural water consumption declining significantly. The reduction in agricultural water consumption is attributed mainly to decreased water consumption per mu in actual irrigated farmland, while the decline in industrial water consumption is primarily due to reduced water consumption per 10 000 yuan of industrial added value. The growth in domestic water consumption is largely driven by population increase, and the substantial rise in ecological water consumption stems mainly from the implementation of ecological conservation policies. The findings in this study will provide a scientific basis for optimizing water resource allocation and promoting sustainable utilization in the new era.