Rips appear in Reflecting Pool’s new sealant after algae turn water green

President Trump’s efforts to spruce up the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool faced a snag this week, with algae turning the water a fluorescent green hue while rips appeared in an “American Flag Blue” surface handpicked by the president.

The century-old Reflecting Pool has long faced problems with leaks, algae and faulty plumbing. In April, the president launched an effort to address the pool’s “terrible” condition, part of a slate of spring cleaning projects in Washington, D.C., ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday — as Mr. Trump seeks to put his architectural stamp on the city. 

Mr. Trump had the pool’s stone flooring coated with a sealant he called the “latest and greatest filament” and an “industrial-grade” variation of swimming pool liner. He told reporters he personally chose the sealant’s color: “American Flag Blue.” Federal contracts for the project were valued at more than $14 million.

But several days ago, after water was pumped back in, a sheen of green algae appeared.

A Department of the Interior spokesperson told CBS News last weekend the algae outbreak was “part of the normal startup process” and would be cleaned out shortly.

“What you are seeing is residual algae from the supply lines which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks while construction has been taking place,” the spokesperson said. “President Donald J. Trump is an expert builder who has fixed the Reflecting Pool for good unlike the failed and extremely costly attempt by Obama and Biden.”

Workers were seen in recent days removing algae from the Reflecting Pool, and on Tuesday morning, crews dumped bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the water.

The Department of the Interior said on social media Wednesday that the water is now “crystal clear,” and workers were “vacuuming up the dead algae.” Moving forward, the agency said it is using an advanced tool called a “nanobubbler” to prevent algae from reappearing in the Reflecting Pool.

Then, on Thursday, a tear was spotted in part of the material that was applied to the floor of the pool. CBS News has reached out to the Department of the Interior for more information.

The Trump administration’s renovations mark the second time in less than 20 years that the Reflecting Pool was overhauled, following a more than $30 million project early in the Obama administration. Despite those efforts, the pool still faced algae blooms and needed to be emptied out periodically to clean out algae, goose droppings and other detritus.

Mr. Trump vowed in April to make the Reflecting Pool “beautiful” and “the way it’s supposed to be.” At one point, when workers were installing the new sealant, the president rode in his motorcade onto the dried-out pool floor — which is the length of about 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and inspected the job. 

It’s the latest renovation project in and around D.C. spearheaded by the Trump administration. The president’s team also repaired fountains throughout the city, tore down the White House’s East Wing to make way for a ballroom, attempted to close the Kennedy Center for renovations, and drew up plans for a gigantic triumphal arch across the river from the capital in Virginia.

The real estate developer-turned-politician has taken a personal interest in many of the projects, displaying mock-ups and speaking at length about the plans during White House events.

Mr. Trump and his administration have cast the renovations as much-needed efforts to beautify national landmarks they argue were neglected for years. 

Critics, however, have called some of the projects self-aggrandizing and accused Mr. Trump of making dramatic changes without getting permission from Congress or input from the public. Several of the projects drew lawsuits, and a judge blocked the administration from closing the Kennedy Center or renaming it to add Mr. Trump’s name.