Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

In Ref. [1], we present and analyze experimental high resolution x-ray emission spectra (XES) of liquid water which exhibit a splitting of the 1b1 line into two components. We also suggest a qualitative model to explain the experimental spectra which, even though tentative (as clearly stated in the summary of Ref. [1]), is able to explain ALL available experimental data. In the preceding Comment, Pettersson et al. [3] claim that a spectrum with two similarly sharp 1b1 features both from a dissociated product (d2) and from the intact molecule (d1) would be "unphysical and unsubstantiated" since "the path connecting initial and final structure" is not taken into account. In the meantime, we have collected new data [2], which further support and strengthen our model.