Under the background of water scarcity, the water use relationship between adjacent regions presents more and more complex correlation characteristics. Clarifying the internal water use relationship among regions and revealing the spatial linkage pattern of water use can provide a reliable reference for optimizing the coordinated governance policy of regional water resources. Based on the relevant water use data of 28 cities in the Huaihe River Eco-economic Belt from 2005 to 2018, social network analysis (SNA) was used to describe the structure and transfer characteristics of water use spatial association network among cities in the Huaihe River Eco-economic Belt, and its influencing factors were revealed by quadratic assignment procedure (QAP). The results show that the water use relationships among the cities in the Huaihe River Eco-economic Belt presented a complex network structure. The network density decreased slightly during the sample investigation period, but the overall network structure was stable. Cities of Suzhou, Zhoukou, Xuzhou and Bengbu were at the core of the water use network, leading the flow of water resources in the related network. The block model analysis showed that the spatial correlation network of water use could be divided into four modules, namely broker, two-way spillover, main beneficiary and net beneficiary, and the spatial spillover effect between modules showed a chain-like trend. Geographical spatial proximity, per capita water resources and urbanization rate were important factors affecting the formation of water spatial correlation network. The research results are of strategic significance to the promotion of water resources exchange efficiency among regions and alleviation of water resources dilemma in water shortage areas.