Algae Bloom Plagues Trump's $14 Million Reflecting Pool Renovation

Workers at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, deployed hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble ozone technology on Wednesday in the latest attempt to control a bright green algae bloom that has plagued the pool despite a $14 million renovation funded by the Trump administration. The bloom emerged less than a day after the updated pool was unveiled, threatening the president's goal of having the pool appear "American flag blue" for the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations scheduled for early July.

The Trump administration contracted the renovation work to a company under a no-bid arrangement, marking the firm's first federal government project, though it has previously worked on Trump's golf courses. An Interior Department spokesperson attributed the initial algae outbreak to "residual algae from the supply lines, which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks." However, multiple environmental and infrastructural factors appear to be contributing to the persistent bloom. The Reflecting Pool typically draws water from the nearby Tidal Basin, which frequently contains algae and can be switched to municipal drinking water during high-algae periods—though the department did not immediately clarify which source is currently being used.

Hans Paerl, a former professor at the University of North Carolina's Institute of Marine Sciences, identified hot temperatures and stagnant water as primary drivers of algae proliferation. He noted that similar blooms are common in lakes and reservoirs worldwide during warm seasons. Hotter-than-normal weather expected to hit Washington, DC, at the week's end threatens to complicate control efforts. Paerl also linked the algae problem to climate change, observing that rising temperatures are allowing algae to expand globally into higher latitudes and optimize growth conditions.

Beyond hydrogen peroxide, the Interior Department is deploying "high-tech nanobubble ozone technology" to suppress algae growth. The renovation work included painting the pool blue and repairing leaks. Trump has claimed the contracted company could complete the work "in much less time, for much less money" compared to previous administrations. The Obama administration had spent $34 million on a two-year pool renovation in the early 2010s, which itself experienced algae problems following construction. Trump has made false claims that both the Obama and Biden administrations spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" on the pool and used artificial intelligence-generated images to blame Democrats for neglecting the National Mall landmark.

With two weeks remaining before the 250th anniversary celebrations, the success of the hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble treatments remains uncertain. The Interior Department acknowledged that the Obama-era renovations "resulted in massive algae clumps taking over the pool's surface following years of construction," suggesting the current administration faces similar technical and environmental challenges in maintaining the iconic landmark.