Drinking an adequate amount of water year-round is a key ingredient in a healthy lifestyle. Even in the fall and winter seasons, dry outside temperatures and heated indoor environments evaporate moisture from your skin and contribute to fluid loss. Not drinking enough water to replenish these fluids can easily lead to dehydration, which can cause fatigue, impaired physical ability, weakness, dizziness, headaches and other health ailments.

The water quality experts at Kinetico Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of quality water treatment systems, point out that you may not be drinking enough water if you:

• Feel tired although you've had plenty of rest.
• Cramp up during exercise despite having stretched beforehand.
• Easily lose your concentration throughout the day.
• Have swollen feet, hands and ankles.
• Feel thirsty.

Of all the symptoms of dehydration, thirst is probably the most misunderstood. Although many people think they should only intake fluids whenever they start to get thirsty, doctors recommend drinking before you get thirsty. In fact, by the time you feel thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated.

Why must water be replenished on an ongoing basis?

• First, the average adult body is 55-75 percent water (10-12 gallons).
• Second, the average person's brain is comprised of 75 to 80 percent water.
• Third, during the course of a day, adults can lose up to 10 cups of water
• through normal body processes.
• Finally, although we can get water from other beverages and foods, including most fruits and vegetables, water alone is the best source of daily fluid replenishment because it contains no calories or caffeine.

Medical professionals recommend drinking eight glasses of water during an average day. On hot days or on days when you're exceptionally active, you may need more water. It is especially important to drink before, during and after exercise.

The reality, however, is that many Americans don't drink as much water as they should. And the reason most often cited—poor-tasting tap water.

To alleviate this problem, many consumers are turning to in-home drinking water systems which can provide consistently good-tasting water at your fingertips — without the cost or inconvenience of bottled water.

Although there are many drinking water treatment options on the market today, only a few do more than simply improve the taste and aesthetics of water.

So, how does a homeowner choose the best system? For those looking for consistently great tasting, high-quality water, a reverse osmosis (RO) system is an ideal option. In fact, RO systems are recognized by the EPA as the most effective at reducing lead that may be in the water, and the Centers for Disease Control recommends them for reducing cryptosporidium.

Consumers should also look for a drinking water system that offers important safeguards, such as Kinetico's MACguard Filter'. This feature, which is unlike any other on the market, prevents the filter from being overused and dumping impurities back into the water by alerting consumers when the carbon filter needs to be changed..

In addition, Kinetico offers the patented EverClean Rinse', which automatically cleans the system with high-quality water — unlike most brands that cleanse the internal membrane with untreated water, or not at all. This is important as it extends the life of the product and ensures that every drop of water is equally as good.

For more information about the water you drink, call Kinetico at 1-800-944-WATER (9283) and request the FREE Consumers’s Guide to Protecting the Water Your Family Drinks. Or visit Kinetico's Web site at www.kinetico.com for more information about water.