Story perspectives

Lincoln Memorial Pool Turns Green After $14 M Renovation

6/19/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green days after a $14 million overhaul, prompting National Park Service crews to clean it.
The renovation finished June 3 at about $14.2 million.
It installed an ozone nanobubble filtration system, awarded contracts without competitive bidding, and raised total cost to $14.7 million.
Kate Martin said the green water is residual algae from dormant supply lines and that nanobubblers will keep the pool algae-free, and Democrats criticized contracts.

History

Historical Context

The National Park Service’s 2009-2012 reconstruction of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool replaced its asphalt bottom with concrete and added an ozone system to curb algae. When a 2012 algae bloom forced a $100,000 drain and a 2017 parasite outbreak killed more than 80 ducks, the agency highlighted ongoing water-quality challenges for the Mall’s iconic pools.

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Story summary

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green days after a $14 million overhaul, prompting National Park Service crews to clean it.
The renovation finished June 3 at about $14.2 million.
It installed an ozone nanobubble filtration system, awarded contracts without competitive bidding, and raised total cost to $14.7 million.
Kate Martin said the green water is residual algae from dormant supply lines and that nanobubblers will keep the pool algae-free, and Democrats criticized contracts.

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