Green algae has once again overtaken the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool just days after its multi-million-dollar renovation. President Donald Trump spent $14 million to seal the concrete bottom with an "American flag blue" coating, but the pool has turned a murky green, prompting a major cleanup.
Recurring Algae Problem
The National Park Service initially attributed the green water to dormant algae in the pipes that returned during refilling. A spokesperson said, "It's part of the normal startup process. We are removing the algae, and the nanobubblers will maintain the pool and keep it algae-free." However, the algae persisted over the weekend despite cleanup efforts.
A Department of the Interior spokesperson stated that the algae from previous administrations has been killed by Trump's technology and is being removed. "The nanobubbler technology has successfully destroyed the algae bloom that has plagued every pool reopening since 1922, most infamously, the Obama pool reopening that resulted in massive algae clumps," the spokesperson said.
Additional Investment
The Trump administration spent an extra $1.7 million on an upgraded ozone nanobubbler filtration system, which disperses tiny oxygen bubbles to cut off algae's food supply. The 6.7-million-gallon pool, built in the early 1920s, has long struggled with algae. The Obama administration had spent $34 million on piping and filtration fixes, but both algae and leaks returned.
Trump has frequently criticized the pool's condition under his predecessors, calling it "disgusting" and "filthy." He initially estimated his beautification project at $1.5 to $2 million and rejected a $300 million overhaul. Instead, he resealed gaps and added the blue coating.
Before Trump's renovations, the pool leaked about 16 million gallons annually, according to the Interior Department. Leaky pipes, which push out 4 million gallons every three days, may also contribute to algae by undermining filtration. The Trump administration plans to repair those pipes in the fall.
