GRAND FORKS (AP) - A proposal to pipe Missouri River water to the Red River Valley may not be the only option to deal with drought, scientists and others say.

The proposal is billed as a lifeline for the valley when the next major drought hits, which some experts say could be before 2030. The Lake Agassiz Water Authority and Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, both multi-county groups, support the pipeline, which is being discussed at hearings around the region.

Dwight Williamson, a representative of Manitoba's water stewardship department, told a hearing Tuesday night in Grand Forks that he hopes North Dakota will talk with Manitoba about the treatment of pipeline water.

"In three of the four importation options, in our view, the level of treatment is not adequate," Williamson said.

The pipe proposal calls for a treatment facility in McClusky.

Lisa Botnen, a research scientist at the University of North Dakota's Energy and Environmental Research Center, suggested the valley explore ways to conserve water now, and find other sources of water in the Red River Basin before tapping the Missouri.

"We do need to live within our means, and when we talk about looking at some of the alternatives that are in the basin, I think they need not be ignored," Botnen said. "There's a lot of options that may be available, again using some of the marginal sources of water and treating those."

Botnen said EERC climate studies find that a severe drought could happen even before 2015.

The head of the water and light department for East Grand Forks, Minn., Dan Boyce, said he favors the Missouri River pipeline because it is the most practical option.

Grand Forks representatives, including city engineer Al Grasser, public works director Todd Feland and water superintendent Hazel Sletten, also said they support the pipeline. They were joined by a representative from the State Milll and one from Altru Health System, the region's main hospital.

Altru's plant manager Ken Vein, who also sits on the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District's board of directors, said the hospital uses 50,000 gallons a day, most of it for patient care.