PORTLAND, Tenn. -- Following a summer dominated by drought throughout the region, the state Legislature is attempting to curb the crisis that some communities incurred after severe water shortages.

Video: State Rep. Hopes To Resolve Water Woes

"We had restrictions you couldn't wash your car. The only way you could water your flowers was with a bucket," said Portland resident Melvin Mannis.

Lawmakers said when it comes to water planning, the state is behind in its preparations.

Areas like Portland don't have enough water, and some areas don't have access to water at all.

"I have families living in upper Sumner County that have gone to creeks with sump pumps to pump water out of creeks into homemade holding ponds,” said Rep. Mike McDonald of Portland.

Communities that rely on the big rivers like the Cumberland and the Tennessee for drinking water didn't really have problems last summer. And lawmakers said the state needs to be getting water from the big rivers to some of these underserved communities.

But it’s a plan that state lawmakers said will take time, planning and money.

McDonald is proposing legislation for the state to come up with a long-range plan that includes developing maps, find out what long- term needs are and provide funding in the form of loans and grants to make that happen.

"We have to have a dependable water source for economic development as well as for our residents," said McDonald.

Some city leaders said grants to expand water access would be nice, and they wouldn't mind working together, but they want to be able to control their own destinies without state interference.

"I think we would all like to be independent and have our own source so we can control ourselves," said Portland Mayor Ken Wilber.

The governor has said in the past he would be willing to spend some money to help communities deal with water shortages.

McDonald said Kentucky and Colorado already have similar long-term plans. Georgia lawmakers are considering this session as well.