Blue paint peels off reflecting pool a few days after refilling
Days after backfilling, blue paint is peeling and algae is infesting the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool, raising concerns about recent renovations.
Some of the sealant recently applied to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool as part of a series of renovations at the landmark appears to have started peeling off from the pool’s basin on June 18th.
Images released by Getty Images show that the sealant has been torn and some of the “American flag blue” paint has been lifted to the surface. The images show the latest in a series of problems caused by the repainting of the reflecting pool as part of a renovation commissioned by President Donald Trump.
Aerial photos from June 16 showed pools covered in algae, a condition that USA TODAY previously reported could last for months. On June 17, workers were seen pouring hydrogen peroxide into the pool to reduce algae, but portions of the pool remained green in photos from that day and June 18.
USA TODAY has reached out to the National Park Service for comment on the apparent lacerations.
Look at the sealant tear in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
What is a reflecting pool renovation?
President Trump announced plans to renovate the pool in April, saying the landmark had been the subject of complaints due to its cleanliness and leaking foundations. The National Park Service told USA TODAY the pool was leaking 16 million gallons a year.
He told reporters that contractors will sandblast, caulk and resurface the pool basin. The pool is part of a citywide effort to spruce up landmarks ahead of Independence Day and 250th anniversary celebrations.
The renovations totaled about $16 million, according to government contract records previously reviewed by USA TODAY.
An aerial view of President Trump’s changes to Washington, D.C.
Aerial photos captured the dramatic changes to the National Mall following renovations supported by President Donald Trump.
The administration hired Atlantic Industrial Coatings to coat the pool in “American Flag Blue,” a deep navy. The Washington landmark is approximately 2,000 feet long and 160 feet wide. The company was awarded $14.2 million for the project.
The National Park Service previously told USA TODAY that the color will improve the reflective properties of the pool over the previously gray concrete, which had become slimy green due to algae buildup.
