Overview
- The National Mall pool was drained, sealed, painted a dark “American flag blue,” and refilled in early June, with satellite and on‑site photos showing a darker basin and the Washington Monument's reflection.
- Workers and officials began removing visible algae after the refill, which the Interior Department called “residual” from dormant supply lines and said nanobubbler ozone units will run the startup and aid water quality.
- The work cost roughly $13–14 million and was awarded through an expedited no‑bid urgency contract to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a choice that drew scrutiny as the price rose from the president’s initial estimate.
- Historic preservationists led by the Cultural Landscape Foundation sued under the National Historic Preservation Act to stop the project over the new coating and finish, but a judge allowed crews to complete the work while the case proceeds.
- Experts and reporting say the expedited job did not replace buried 12‑inch circulation pipes, leaving a key mechanical weakness that officials say will need later work or the pool could face recurring algae, leakage, or filtration problems.