Should we forget desilting and consider new storage facility?

Mark Barnett, vice-president, National Water Commission: "The evidence does not suggest that we have the water resources to support an on-land storage consistently, so I would not support the whole scale building of a storage facility."

Evan Thompson, meteorologist: "Whether you have the kind of intake to be able to sustain it [new storage] at certain level, then be able to supply the population in that area, may be a difficulty. Wells would be a better solution than having one storage area."

Marilyn Headley, conservator of forests: "Fixing the watershed is important, whether we desilt or not, because it will continue silting up if we do not fix the top. The constant run off of soil is a problem."

Charles Buchanan, communications manager, National Water Commission: "The focus should be on alternatives for better and more reliable sources rather than the issue of storage."

Basil Fernandez, Water Resources Authority managing director: "No!"