The Trump administration has spent millions renovating the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall to make it “American flag blue” in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.But even faster than it was repainted, the water has turned to a dark green — thanks to algae growth.The new hue comes despite significant cost and controversy, and is something of a stumble after boasts by President Donald Trump about how he was able to make the famous landmark look so much better than his predecessors did.Last month, he drove over the Reflecting Pool as it was under construction, boasting about the beautiful blue color it would be.
“It never had the color people wanted, but now it’s going to have the great color,” he said at the time.But after last weekend’s hot weather, D.C.residents began to notice that the pool had turned green.Ducks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 15.Graeme Sloan / Bloomberg via Getty ImagesReached for comment on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Interior Department continued to use the pool to mock Trump’s predecessors.
“Unlike under Obama and Biden, the National Park Service is actually maintaining the beautifully completed Reflecting Pool,” the spokesperson said.The spokesperson said that the National Park Service was using “high-tech nanobubble ozone technology” to kill algae, pathogens and contaminants.“Additionally, hydrogen peroxide, which is a milder treatment than chlorine and is used in spas and specialty pools like natural swimming pools, is also treating the pool,” the spokesperson said.
“There are no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment.”Shallow manmade bodies of water like the Reflecting Pool are prone to algal growth because they are warm, exposed to the sun and often filled with nutrients.Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus can spur algal blooms, accordin...