COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Governor Mark Sanford is encouraging South
Carolina residents to voluntarily conserve water so he doesn't have
to make water restrictions mandatory.

The Natural Resources Department says the worst conditions are
in the Upstate, where some wells have gone dry and Lakes Hartwell
and Thurmond along the Georgia state line are already ten feet below normal.

A special drought committee will meet next month and could suggest mandatory water restrictions for non-essential activities like washing cars, watering lawns and filling swimming pools.

The committee says five northwestern counties are in an extreme
drought, the worst category.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)