Overview
- The shallow Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was refilled in early June after a fast‑track, largely no‑bid renovation and developed a widespread algae bloom within days, turning the water green.
- By June 18 reporters and visitors documented strips of the newly applied dark “American flag blue” sealant peeling and floating to the surface less than two weeks after the project was declared finished.
- Federal crews have been treating the pool with hydrogen peroxide, vacuuming algae by hand and operating a contracted ozone nanobubble system to kill and remove the bloom.
- The project’s cost rose to roughly $14.6–$14.7 million through multiple incremental payments to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, prompting questions about the urgency exception to normal competitive bidding.
- Experts and preservation groups warn the work did not fully replace buried 12‑inch circulation pipes and note that shallow, warm water and a dark bottom encourage recurring algae, so short‑term treatments may not prevent future blooms.