The director of Raleigh's public utilities says growth was not the problem in last year's water shortage.

Dale Crisp told The News & Observer of Raleigh he'll tell a meeting of regional water managers Tuesday the drought alone was responsible for the problem.

Crisp says he'll tell water managers they did a fine job in managing the shortage.

He says there are lessons from the dry weather. Crisp says the state's largest city needs to do a better job managing the use of drinking water for outside watering. He also says more needs to be done to educate the public about Raleigh's long-term water supply
plan.

The forum will focus on long-term water strategies and how the region's major utilities can cooperate.

Raleigh and Durham officials were criticized by some residents for responding too slowly last year.

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