Abstract: This study investigates the creep-induced damage evolution of coal samples subjected to different water immersion conditions under step loading and confining pressure, with implications for goaf stability. Samples from a Jinan mine were immersed in distilled water (W) and mine water (MW) before testing. Results demonstrate that combined step loading and pressurized water immersion synergistically intensify water-rock interaction, increasing internal damage. Acidic components in MW further accelerated crack propagation and inter-particle friction compared to W. Maximum reductions in average clay mineral content reached 45.92% (W) and 62.79% (MW). MW samples also exhibited higher acoustic emission (AE) ring-down count density and fluctuation intensity, with all groups showing an AE quiescence phase before failure. Increasing load raised the damage accumulation rate, elevating damage variables, elastic energy, and dissipated energy. Porosity and probability entropy increased significantly under pressurized immersion—by 119.87% and 243.59% for porosity in W and MW, and by 49.51% and 95.14% for probability entropy, respectively. These findings reveal critical insights into the design of goaf stability under hydro-mechanical coupling conditions.