Algae Crisis Persists at Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool
WHO:
Fast Company - President Donald Trump
ABC News - Taylor Rogers, White House spokeswoman
ABC News - Redmond Walsh, longtime Washington resident
ABC News - David Janes, engineer visiting from Louisville, Kentucky
The Seattle Times - Cochise Wanzer II, president of the Pool Service Company in Arlington, Virginia
WHAT:
Fast Company - The renovation project cost has increased to $14.2 million, up from the initial estimate of $1.5 million to $2 million.
ABC News - The algae bloom was described as "residual" and came from reactivated supply lines, according to a Department of Interior spokesperson.
The Seattle Times - Trump stated that the renovation would likely cost "less than $20 million" due to additional touch-ups and a new purification system.
ABC News - Employees from Greenwater Services were seen filling plastic water bottles with samples from the pool.
Fast Company - The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool underwent renovations costing $14.2 million.
ABC News - The National Park Service is using hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble ozone technology to combat algae in the pool.
ABC News - Algae bloomed in the pool just days after the completion of renovations, turning the water from deep blue to green.
The Seattle Times - The renovation project was initially projected to cost $1.5 million to $2 million but ballooned to nearly $15 million.
The Seattle Times - The pool is larger than 10 Olympic-sized pools and is referred to as a lake by Trump.
ABC News - Federal records show the government paid Greenwater $1.7 million in April for new filtration technology.
WHERE:
Fast Company - Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Washington, D.C.
ABC News - Tidal Basin, source of the pool's water.
WHEN:
Fast Company - Renovations to the pool began in April.
The Seattle Times - The renovation project was announced in April.
WHY:
Fast Company - Trump aimed to beautify Washington as the country approaches its 250th anniversary.
ABC News - The algae problem is attributed to the pool's construction on marshland and the lack of a proper circulation system.
HOW:
ABC News - A tubing system was set up to siphon contaminated water out of the pool and into storm drains.
ABC News - The National Park Service is using a combination of hydrogen peroxide treatment and nanobubble ozone technology to eliminate algae.
The Seattle Times - Workers are using a swimming pool-type vacuum cleaner to remove algae from the bottom of the pool.
(UPDATED June 17, 2026 21:39 UTC)
The cost of the renovation project has skyrocketed to $14.2 million, a significant jump from the initial estimate of between $1.5 million and $2 million. Trump mentioned that the final expenses might be "less than $20 million," factoring in additional touch-ups and a new purification system. Meanwhile, employees from Greenwater Services have been observed filling plastic water bottles with samples from the pool, as a tubing system is being utilized to siphon contaminated water out and into storm drains.
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(UPDATED June 17, 2026 19:44 UTC)
President Trump announced the completion of a $14.2 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which is larger than ten Olympic-sized pools and is often referred to as a lake. Unfortunately, just days after the renovations, algae bloomed in the pool, turning the water from deep blue to green, prompting the National Park Service to implement hydrogen peroxide and nanobubble ozone technology to combat the issue. The renovation project, initially estimated to cost between $1.5 million and $2 million, faced significant budget overruns, with federal records showing a payment of $1.7 million in April for new filtration technology.