A handful of mid-Missouri landowners gathered in Jefferson City Wednesday night to voice their concerns about water quality; quality like what's in Hinkson
Creek or any other stream flowing through mid-Missouri.

Wednesday's meeting with DNR brought out mid-Missouri land-owners from as far as Owensville.

Ron Johnson of Owensville worries what you can't see might hurt you.

"They come out there with little babies and they fish, and they wade, and they swim and they have a good time and there's no place else for them to go," said Johnson.

The issue is waste.

All waste entering into any body of water has to meet certain criteria.

That means treating the water and keeping it up to code.

"What we're talking about is an extra requirement to disinfect. That effort to remove bacteria," said Johnson.

But if the stream is not used for recreational purposes the rules are different.

Water must be treated but not disinfected.

With input from meetings like this, DNR hopes to learn which Missouri streams are used for recreation.

People have until the 31st to give the DNR a formal complaint.

Then the department will go out to inspect the bodies of water and see if they are swimable.

Reported by: Stephanie Cobb