Use RO or un-softened water. The calcium (lime) in your water is acceptable or even a benefit to some brews but you don't want sodium chloride from the softener in your beer.

Another question, should I do the same boil procedure using the DME; bring the water to a boil then turn off the heat & stir in the HME & DME or should I do something different?

I always liked to add the DME to the water before I started heating it, then stir like crazy while I heated, and watch for boil overs as you heat it...DME LOVES to boil over!

Then, add the HME when you turn the heat off.

You just love despoiling the innocence of a stove top.

Trust me, if you saw how my wife wrecks a stove, a little boil over is the least of my concerns.

Sounds like your wife and I have something in common!

And Thorn, if I wanted him to despoil his stove, I wouldn't have warned him about DME boiling over!