On Wednesday, Sanford met with members of a task force he asked to review state water laws. The Water Law Review Committee said South Carolina needs to improve communications with its neighbors to ensure it avoids water troubles.

"We are currently moving forward with that process," said Sanford spokesman Will Folks.

South Carolina shares most of its rivers with Georgia or North Carolina. During the drought's peak in 2002, South Carolina had to broker a deal with North Carolina to ensure enough water was released from upstream dams.

The deal enabled drinking water intakes in South Carolina to avoid saltwater contamination and helped Pee Dee River industries avoid shutdowns or slowdowns.

The committee also suggested the state establish minimum water-flow standards to keep rivers and streams healthy and regulate the amount of water that can be pumped out of those waterways.

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