  We determine and compare structural, dynamical, and electronic properties of
liquid water at near ambient conditions through density-functional molecular
dynamics simulations, when using either plane-wave or atomic-orbital basis
sets. In both frameworks, the electronic structure and the atomic forces are
self-consistently determined within the same theoretical scheme based on a
nonlocal density functional accounting for van der Waals interactions. The
overall properties of liquid water achieved within the two frameworks are in
excellent agreement with each other. Thus, our study supports that
implementations with plane-wave or atomic-orbital basis sets yield equivalent
results and can be used indiscriminately in study of liquid water or aqueous
solutions.
