Well water vs city water

[lily99]

I sometimes help my parents with their orchids. The orchids just have not been doing well. They all seem to die slowly, and I am begining to think it is the water. My parents water the orchids with well water. When they first got the house, the well water was so acidic it was leaching copper off the pipes, so they installed an acid neutralizer which adds something basic (sodium bicarb?) to their water. I water my own orchids with city water and they are all doing well. My parents and I have very similar orchids and lighting set-ups. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with well water or acid neutralizers. I also wonder if my parents just need a water filter, or if they should just get a reverse osmosis set-up.