The historic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, the US capital, has faced an unexpected problem following a major $14.7 million renovation. The special coating applied to the pool's bottom, which President Donald Trump called 'American flag blue', began peeling off shortly after, with pieces seen floating on the water's surface.
Following these developments, the water in the pool rapidly turned a green color. Experts state this situation is caused by an algae bloom common at this time of year.
Trump's Vandalism Claim
US President Donald Trump claimed in a statement on the Truth Social platform that the pool was vandalized. Trump alleged that people he described as 'radical left maniacs' damaged the pool and said corrosive chemicals were poured into it.
Trump said, "We've had some real vandalism problems at the beautiful Reflecting Pool." The President added that 75 percent of the algae had been cleaned and the situation would be fully corrected soon, that the vandalism only damaged a small area, and it would be repaired early next week.
However, Trump did not present any evidence to support his vandalism claim.
Citizen Taken Into Custody
The National Park Police announced it had taken multiple people into custody on suspicion of vandalism related to the pool. One of those detained was 67-year-old David Hearn.
Hearn told the Associated Press that he stopped by the pool during a 103-kilometer bike ride just to see what was happening. A former Olympic canoe racer, Hearn stated he touched a piece attached to the pool's edge to examine the peeling new coating and let go of the piece after a park ranger warned him.
Hearn said he was then held in custody by National Guard troops and Park Police for five hours and was released on Friday night.
Experts Confirm Algae Bloom
Rosalina Stancheva Christova, a water ecology professor at George Mason University, tested water samples taken from the pool. Christova explained that the algae had 'grown excessively' but was not toxic.
The professor said such green algae are common in the area at this time of year and that the reflecting pool provides 'perfect conditions' that encourage algae growth, such as strong sunlight, shallow and stagnant water. She added that the disruption of the pool's balance during the renovation work also accelerated this process.
Questions About the Bidding Process
The $14.7 million contract for cleaning and painting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was awarded without a bid by the federal government to Virginia-based Atlantic Industrial Coatings on April 3.
According to a New York Times report, a no-bid contract was also awarded to a company called Greenwater Services, linked to a long-time supporter of President Trump, to install a water treatment system for the pool in early spring. While the reason for the no-bid award remains unclear, a White House spokesperson stated last week that the president was not involved in the selection of Greenwater Services.
National Park Service crews have been pouring hydrogen peroxide into the pool since June 16 to combat the algae bloom. An Interior Department spokesperson stated the pool is being treated with 'high-tech nanobubble ozone technology' that kills algae, pathogens including E. Coli, and other pollutants.
