The Greenville Water Works and Sewer Board is asking city residents to voluntarily conserve water in an effort to head off any potential shortage in the future.

Drought conditions throughout the state have forced county and city governments to respond to the lack of rainfall across the southeast this summer, said Greenville Mayor Dexter McLendon, who proposed the policy at Tuesday's board meeting.

&#8220These last couple of weeks with the rain has helped us some,” he said. &#8220But we're still not as good as we need to be.”

The Water Works and Sewer Board advises consumers to limit their use of water outside homes for watering lawns and washing vehicles, and are asked to repair any plumbing problems to avoid waste. If conditions do not improve, the board will look at enforcing more stringent conservation measures, including a mandatory restriction. Municipalities in Elmore County and the city of Selma are already under such restrictions.

In other business the board:

n Agreed upon a contract with the Butler County Water Authority setting the cost of water at $1.35 per 1,000 gallons if either entity should have to purchase water from the other.

Last month the city purchased a little over $1,700 in water from the BCWA, according to Board Chairman Joby Norman, well below what he expected.

&#8220We haven't had to purchase any this month because the recent rain has helped us,” said Water Superintendent Jerry McCullough.

n Approved a revised sewer use ordinance submitted by Wastewater Superintendent Bruce Branum. The changes deal specifically with Article II, Section 4 - Fixed Upper Limits on Wastewater Constituents. The section has been rewritten for clarification of discharge requirements and its accompanying table has also been revised to reflect recommended changes of toxic concentrations accepted by the wastewater treatment plant.

The changes were made based upon recommendations from consulting engineers, Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood and ADEM.

Approved a water conservation policy submitted by McCullough, which sets out guidelines for the Water Works and Sewer Board to conserve water when needed. The policy was required by ADEM, said McCullough.

Approved the following expenditures: $1,144.74 to Aqua Products for two booster pumps; $2,001 to Empire Pipe for 12 master meters; $2,927.98 to Hughes Supply for repair materials; $1,119.37 to Hughes Supply for repair materials; $2,035.14 to Sterling Industries for stainless steel repair materials; $20,370.13 to Utility Services for water tank maintenance; $2,100 to J.H. Wright to repair the sewer pump at Pinedale lift station; $1,343.45 to United Laboratories for lift station maintenance.

Approved the following 2005 bond issue expenses: $4,749.65 to Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood for the right of way for Stalling Creek; $7,227 to Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood for miscellaneous sanitary sewer rehabilitation; $6,048 to Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood for work on Stallings Creek to I-65; $470 to Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood for tank, water, sewer to serve Hysco American and Hwashin America; $166,422.04 to Brunson Nichols for water and sewer to serve Upper Stallings Creek (pay request 1); $72,714.32 to Brunson Nichols for water and sewer top serve Upper Stallings Creek (pay request 2); $35,064.50 to Cardinal Contracting for sewer improvements for Dunbar and Valley Drives (pay request 1); $74,708.91 to Cardinal Contracting for sewer improvements for Government, Water, and Cunningham Streets; $3,705.82 to Suncoast Infrastructure for sanitary sewer rehabilitation (pay request 2); $7,900 to SCADC for administrative services for Hysco/Hwashin projects; $53,287.53 to Cardinal Contracting for sewer improvements for Government, Water and Cunningham Streets (pay request 2); $3,527 to HD Supply for materials for meter replacement.