- Blue material is peeling off the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool days after its refilling.
- The paint on Washington’s newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was peeling away from the bottom and into the algae-tinted water, less than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the job’s completion.
- The renovations were initially estimated to cost $1.8 million. It appears the cost of the project is now up to $14.7 million.
- The pool's renovation was ordered by President Trump and cost about $14 million, far exceeding initial estimates.
- It is unclear if the material is paint or sealant, and it’s unclear what caused it to come up.
- Eddie Wood, who owns Atlantic Industrial Coatings, said the images do not provide enough information 'to tell exactly what that is.'
- Tim Auerhahn, a pool infrastructure expert, said it’s difficult to tell from the videos what was causing the 'apparent delamination.'
- The issue is the latest to plague the iconic body of water since Trump ordered the pool to be renovated in April.
- In 2012, President Barack Obama’s administration spent $34 million on an 18-month renovation of the pool which was meant to address ongoing issues with algae blooms.
Days after a costly $14.7 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, blue material is peeling off its bottom, raising questions about the quality of the work.13
The renovation, ordered by President Trump, far exceeded initial estimates of $1.8 million. Experts are divided on whether the peeling material is paint or sealant, with Eddie Wood of Atlantic Industrial Coatings stating, "the images do not provide enough information to tell exactly what that is."456
Tim Auerhahn, a pool infrastructure expert, noted that it’s difficult to determine the cause of the "apparent delamination" from videos. This issue is the latest in a series of problems for the iconic pool, which was drained and refinished as part of Trump’s plans to remake the U.S. capital.7
Just days after the pool was filled, algae blooms turned the water green, prompting workers to pour hydrogen peroxide into the pool to combat the issue.
Visitors have expressed disappointment, with one, Robert Dale, stating, "I want my money back after seeing this. I think our resources could be used a lot better elsewhere."
The pool had previously undergone a $34 million renovation during the Obama administration to address ongoing algae issues, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by this historic site.9
“The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is facing issues with blue material peeling off its bottom shortly after a $14.7 million renovation ordered by President Trump. Experts are uncertain whether the peeling material is paint or sealant, raising concerns about the quality of the renovation.”
