Lead
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, renovated at a cost of $14.2 million, has turned green again just days after the project was completed. The renovation, ordered by President Donald Trump, aimed to give the pool a shade the president called "American flag blue." Instead, algae has bloomed, frustrating those efforts. Workers have been seen using vacuum pumps to clean algae from the bottom of the pool, as the administration insists the problem is being addressed.
Coverage Comparison
Reports on the pool's condition vary in their emphasis. ABC Australia notes the pool "turned green just days after its renovation" and highlights that algae has been an issue since the pool opened in 1922. Al Jazeera describes the renovation as "plagued with problems," focusing on the algae bloom despite the $14 million cost. BBC News reported the renovation as complete, noting the pool's color is "American flag blue," without mentioning the algae problem. The Guardian, in contrast, has produced multiple reports, one noting the pool "has turned green again" and another describing early visitor reactions as "mixed," with some finding the color dull. The South China Morning Post also reports the pool "has turned green due to algae," despite the renovation.
Key Claims
The renovation cost $14.2 million, as reported by several sources. The project included resurfacing, addressing leaks, and painting the pool "American flag blue," according to BBC. The renovation also included the installation of "nanobubbler technology," which the US Department of the Interior claims will help address the algae issue. A spokesperson stated the technology "successfully destroyed the algae," and that "the algae is dead and being vacuumed up as we speak." However, reports indicate that algae has proliferated, and some visitors have seen workers scraping it from the bottom. Additionally, the pool's algae problem dates back to its opening in 1922, and environmental scientists have said it would be difficult to control entirely.
A no-bid contract for the work was awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, a company that previously worked on a swimming pool at one of President Trump's golf clubs, as reported by The Guardian. The administration has also made an unusual comparison, likening its battle against algae to its war with Iran, as detailed in a Guardian report.
Perspectives
US Department of the Interior: The department claims the nanobubbler technology has destroyed the algae and that the pool is "crystal clear," attributing reports to the contrary to "Fake News Media." In a statement on X, it compared its campaign against algae to its purported victory against Iran, saying the "National Park Service team is now vacuuming up the dead algae" just as the "destroyed Iranian Navy" rests on the bottom of the Persian Gulf.
Visitors: Reactions among visitors are mixed. Some, like Florida resident Patrick Hicks, expressed relief at the pool's green color, saying, "I think it's an impossible task, having a pool myself." Others were underwhelmed by the pool's somewhat dull color, with one tourist, Farrah Lu, joking, "Oh well, I'll just use a filter to hide the algae."