State Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill, has introduced legislation that would create a permanent Catawba River Basin Bi-State Commission to guide state governments in developing agreements to protect water quality and quantity. The proposed commission also would help referee disputes over use of the water.

Hayes' bill, in fact, might serve as a blueprint for a wider ranging bill that covers shared rivers and water basins throughout the state. Officials with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources are urging members of the state water law review commission to expand on Hayes' bill to establish compacts with surrounding states.

South Carolina residents became acutely aware of how precious water can be during the five-year drought that finally ended this year. During that drought, the worst in the state's history, crops, lawns and other plants withered, water was rationed and people were forced to adopt stringent water-saving measures.

The effects of that drought could have been considerably worse if surrounding states had depleted water supplies before they got to South Carolina. Last summer, in fact, the Grand Strand came close to running out of water due to saltwater backups caused by low flow.

State officials implored Alcoa, which owns a series of Yadkin River dams and reservoirs, to release more water into the Pee Dee River. At first, the company demanded millions of dollars from the state, but relented after South Carolina officials threatened to go public with the company's water ransom. Alcoa later said that, despite the cost incurred, it had elected to do the right thing.

At any rate, that incident indicates how vulnerable South Carolina -- or anyone downstream from a major water source -- can be in times when demand is high and supplies are limited. Agreements such as the Hayes bill are absolutely crucial.

And now is the time to act. A number of hydropower reservoirs in the Carolinas must apply within the next few years for renewal of their federal licenses to operate. This process occurs only once every 30 to 50 years. These licenses specify minimum release levels to guarantee adequate flow to downstream users.

The demand for water in the region will continue to rise as the population of Mecklenburg County and Upstate South Carolina grows. Without water-use compacts in place, future battles over water could be ugly.

While South Carolina has weathered one devastating drought, forecasters warn that another could be just around the corner. Let's get the water issues settled now, before that happens.

Hayes' bill would help ensure that Upstate has adequate supply of water from Catawba.