Trump Administration Awards $2.7 Million Contract to Combat Algae in Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

The federal government has awarded a $2.7 million contract to American Ag Energy, Inc., a Massachusetts-based firm, to address recurring algae growth in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The work will involve maintenance, equipment repair, water-purification and sewage-treatment measures, as well as biological and chemical testing to identify the sources of the blooms before any changes are implemented. The contract follows a recent drainage of the pool after a multi-million-dollar refurbishment that was completed ahead of July 4.

Newsweek

Algae, leaks and water-quality problems have plagued the shallow, sun-exposed pool for decades. A major $30 million rehabilitation finished in 2012 under the Obama administration installed a new circulation and filtration system, yet algae reappeared shortly after the pool was refilled. The latest effort, launched as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations, added a new “American flag blue” liner but again saw green algae within days and reported peeling of the coating. The Department of Justice has attributed earlier damage to faulty work rather than vandalism.

Newsweek

Since 2010, roughly $50 million has been spent on reconstruction, renovation and algae-control at the reflecting pool—an amount the source compares to funding hundreds of teachers for a year, providing millions of school lunches, or purchasing about 100 median-priced homes. The current contract brings total 2026 spending to more than $16 million, up from an initial projection of $1.5 million, and nearly $20 million overall for the year. A June 2026 Economist/YouGov poll of 1,606 U.S. adults found 49 percent disapproved of the Trump administration’s renovation, while 31 percent approved, an 18-point gap.

Newsweek

President Donald Trump pledged during a media briefing that the pool would reopen to visitors “very soon.” The administration argues the additional work is necessary to fix longstanding problems that previous renovations did not resolve. Critics, however, have questioned the reliance on a no-bid contract and the escalating taxpayer cost after the initial overhaul encountered difficulties. Some watchdog groups and lawmakers are expected to scrutinize the spending as the project proceeds.

Newsweek

The contract is expected to remain under review in the coming months as congressional committees, watchdog organizations and the public evaluate whether the latest measures will finally provide a lasting solution. Continued monitoring will determine if further federal funds will be required to keep the iconic reflecting pool free of algae.

Newsweek