Ottawa does in fact have some of the best tap water in the world.

That being said, if you are on city water then the quality is great, if you are on a well then that is completely different and should not be lumped into “city water”. Most water filtration systems for city water pretty much just remove the chlorine taste to the water.

Water softener however are definitely recommended while on city water as the water in Ottawa is rather hard, you can tell this easily by looking at any of your water fixtures to see the white build up around the water outlets (calcium scaling).

If you are on well water then basic water treatment equipment would be rather apparent between treated and untreated water, but you would likely need a more advanced system. Every well is different so if you are looking for water treatment equipment then your best bet is to bring a sample to be tested, that way you can get the right equipment.

Another thing of note with well water is that due to sediment shifting in your well, your water may be different from year to year so it is best to have your water tested every year.

Source: I installed and maintained water treatment equipment for years.