How Trump’s $14 million Reflecting Pool revamp turned into a leaky, algae-covered disaster

United States President Donald Trump pledged to clean up the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool in April, while describing it as “filthy” and “disgusting." Even after his $14.2m (around Rs 133.95 crore) costly renovation attempt to turn the pool into a “beautiful” monument, it has encountered the long-standing obstacle.

Trump sought to repaint the bottom of the pool with a colour which he referred to as “American flag blue.” The POTUS even promised to eliminate the persistent leaking problem.

However, the water is green again, paint is peeling off, and algal blooms have returned with a vengeance, plaguing the pool. The reflecting pool is Washington DC’s most historically symbolic attraction, which was built in the early 1920s.

We take a look.

Algae, paint peeling off: Problems plaguing the pool

Days after the pool was painted blue and refilled, the blue material was peeling off from the bottom of the reflecting pool, CNN reported. The report noted that the blue material in one area of the pool was rising to the surface. However, it remained unclear whether it was a paint or a sealant.

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Eddie Wood, who owns the Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a Virginia-based firm hired to renovate the pool, said: "There are several things that we’ve got to address when we come back for maintenance, and anything like that will be addressed, if it’s a problem," the report noted.

Peeling paint is the latest to plague the pool. The long-standing struggle of this iconic body of water has been algae and leaks. Image courtesy: X

A pool infrastructure expert and the chairman of the Aquatic Council, Tim Auerhahn, found it difficult to determine from the video what exactly was causing the "delamination."

“A coating system can fail for several reasons, including substrate preparation, surface contamination, application conditions, adhesion issues, product selection, mechanical damage, environmental exposure, or a combination of factors,” Auerhahn said.

Peeling paint is the latest to plague the pool. The long-standing struggle of this iconic body of water has been algae and leaks. The administration claimed algae would be cleared; however, according to reports, it proliferated amid warm weather.

On Monday (June 15), National Park Service employees were seen using skimmers to clean algae from the pool. On Tuesday (June 16), hydrogen peroxide was being added to the water to tackle the algae problem for good, the Guardian reported.

In 2012, President Barack Obama’s administration spent millions on an 18-month renovation of the pool, aiming to address the key issue with algae blooms. But days after the costly renovation, the pool again turned a filthy, smelly mess, filled with algae and dead ducks.

Even the Trump administration spent millions on renovation, promising it would be clean up for good; however, the result was the same a few days later. Some of the issues resurfaced within days: the pool was filled with water this month, and algae made its way back, discolouring the water.

An Interior spokesperson described the process of pouring jugs of hydrogen peroxide into the pool as “advanced nanobubbler technology.” Despite that, CNN reported on Thursday (June 18), large sections of the pool were still green, with algae visible.

About the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool

It's Washington, DC's one of the most recognisable landmarks. The pool was built in the early 1920s between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, according to HistoryToday. The pool reportedly holds 6,750,000 gallons of water.

Nearly 90 years after its establishment, the pool had sunk about a foot into the wet, marshy ground. It soon began losing about 500,000 gallons of water per week due to cracks, leaks, and evaporation. Afterwards, a massive project was kicked off to restore the damaged monument.

From November 2010 to August 2012, the reflecting pool underwent a major restoration project. Workers drained the basin, elevated it above the marshy terrain beneath, and reduced its depth by nearly six inches.

Over 2,100 timber piles were installed 2 feet 9 inches apart to reinforce the foundation and ensure the new pool remained stable and prevented sinking, the report noted.

With inputs from agencies