Whatever legislation is needed to put South Carolina in position to make interstate water management agreements should be a top priority for the General Assembly.

South Carolina needs compacts with both Georgia and North Carolina on the mutual use of shared waterways that provide drinking water, irrigation and recreation.

It is not quick or easy to hammer out these compacts. Therefore, it is imperative that the groundwork be laid quickly so the harder tasks can begin.

South Carolina has legislators pushing the compacts, including state Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island. Richardson introduced a resolution during the last session to urge Gov. Mark Sanford to pursue creation of a bi-state Savannah River Port Authority so the states could tackle big problems together. Sanford's Quality of Life Task Force urged the development of river-management compacts with Georgia and North Carolina. That was among the task force's top recommendations. Also, a water-laws committee appointed by the governor is expected to recommend South Carolina pursue the compacts.

Use of the Savannah River, which forms a long border between South Carolina and Georgia, is very important to Beaufort and Jasper counties. More than 120,000 residential and 26,000 commercial customers here depend on water from the Savannah River.

Now comes word that South Carolina may not have the water-use laws in place that will be needed to make interstate compacts workable.

South Carolina does not have regulatory control over surface water withdrawals, except in the case of mandatory drought restrictions. Without that regulatory control, Georgia and North Carolina leaders could correctly ask how South Carolina can prove it is living by the new compacts.

Both Georgia and North Carolina have stricter water regulations.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control has drafted legislation that could require 20-year permits for all sizable water withdrawals.

The General Assembly needs to move on that legislation. The quality of life in South Carolina depends on the careful, fair use of clean river water. That demands action by today's leaders. The interstate water compacts must top the list of goals for the 2004 legislative session.