White House Announces Additional Repairs as Reflecting Pool Problems Continue

Just when it looked like the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was finally ready for its close-up, another setback has emerged.

The White House announced this week that additional repairs will be needed at the recently renovated Reflecting Pool after a string of problems surfaced almost immediately following its reopening. First came the return of algae. Now attention has shifted to reports that portions of the newly installed epoxy lining are beginning to separate from the underlying concrete.

It’s a frustrating turn for a project that, only weeks ago, appeared to be one of the most visually striking renovations on the National Mall.

The Algae Came Back Almost Immediately

Workers had barely finished refilling the Reflecting Pool before a familiar problem began to reappear.

Within days, visitors started noticing a green tint developing in the water. Officials later said they believe algae remaining inside portions of the existing plumbing and circulation system was likely flushed back into the newly filled basin once the pumps were restarted.

Maintenance crews spent much of the following week working around the clock trying to stay ahead of the bloom. Photos showed crews treating the water daily as algae continued spreading across the nearly seven-million-gallon reflecting pool.

Eventually, officials announced they would deploy nanobubble technology—paired with hydrogen peroxide—in an effort to stop the bloom before it became significantly worse.

From Celebration to Cleanup

The speed at which the algae returned made the situation even more surprising, considering how optimistic everyone had been just days earlier.

The recently completed rehabilitation introduced a brand-new blue epoxy lining designed to waterproof the nearly century-old basin and address persistent leakage issues. Members of the project team toured the completed work, and stunning aerial photographs of the vibrant blue Reflecting Pool quickly spread across social media.

For a brief moment, it looked like the renovation had been an overwhelming success.

Then the algae returned.

At first, it was subtle—a faint green cast that was barely noticeable against the brilliant blue epoxy surface. Within a matter of days, however, that changed dramatically. Larger patches of algae began forming across the pool, eventually obscuring much of the newly installed coating beneath.

Fresh images circulating online painted a far different picture than those early celebration photos, showing murky green water and floating algae where crystal-clear reflections had been expected.

A New Problem Emerges

As crews worked to regain control of the water quality, another issue began generating concern.

Reports surfaced that portions of the new epoxy coating are now peeling and delaminating from the concrete beneath.

The reports quickly fueled online discussion, with some observers questioning whether the renovation itself had already begun to fail.

That conversation intensified after former U.S. Olympic cyclist David Hearn was arrested after authorities alleged he damaged the Reflecting Pool by peeling up a section of the newly installed epoxy coating. According to published reports, Hearn has disputed that characterization, maintaining the coating was already loose when he encountered it.

Regardless of how that case is ultimately resolved, the incident brought national attention to reports that portions of the new surface were already separating.

Is Hydrogen Peroxide to Blame?

Could the chemicals being used to combat the algae have contributed to the coating problems?

Probably not, according to pool construction expert Paolo Benedetti.

Benedetti told Pool Magazine that the hydrogen peroxide being used to jumpstart the nanobubble treatment is unlikely to be responsible for the reported delamination. Instead, he says coating failures are typically associated with poor surface preparation, not a single chemical treatment introduced after the coating has already been installed.

That doesn’t necessarily identify the cause of what’s happening at the Reflecting Pool.

Epoxy coating failures can result from a combination of factors, and without a forensic evaluation of the installation, it’s impossible to point to any single reason for the separation now being reported.

What’s Next?

Crews continue treating the Reflecting Pool using the combination of hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble technology in hopes of getting the algae under control while repairs to the epoxy surface move forward.

The timing couldn’t be more important.

The Reflecting Pool was expected to play a prominent role in celebrations surrounding America’s 250th birthday, with hopes the restoration would be completed well in advance of Independence Day festivities.

As of today, however, it appears that the timeline is becoming increasingly difficult to meet.

The next phase of the project will require crews to drain the Reflecting Pool once again so repairs to the surface can be completed before the basin is refilled. At the same time, officials will continue evaluating whether the combination of hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble technology can finally get ahead of the recurring algae problem. With Independence Day and the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations fast approaching, the clock is ticking. Right now, it appears increasingly unlikely the Reflecting Pool will be ready in time, despite the best efforts of crews working to restore one of America’s most iconic water features.

Featured Photo Credit: Matt Smith