Performance Evaluation of the Digital Governance of Water Pollution: A Dual Perspective of Digital Monitoring and Digital Administration

As digital technologies advance rapidly, their applications to environmental governance are becoming increasingly widespread. Against this backdrop, we focus on the critical area of water pollution control. Using a fixed-effects model, we empirically examine the impact of digital monitoring and administration on corporate water pollution emissions and the mechanisms involved. The findings are as follows: (1) The digital monitoring of water pollution is significantly positively correlated with corporate water pollution emissions, indicating that while digital monitoring enhances pollution detection capabilities, it has not yet effectively curbed pollution emissions. (2) Digital administration significantly reduces corporate water pollution emissions. (3) Digital administration positively moderates the relationship between corporate technological innovation and water pollution, whereas the moderating effect of digital monitoring is not significant. (4) The heterogeneity analysis reveals that the pollution-reduction effects of digital monitoring and digital administration vary significantly with respect to the corporate ownership structure and industry competitiveness. This study provides theoretical foundations and practical insights for improving digital environmental regulation policies.