Workers Dump 12% Hydrogen Peroxide Into Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool After Algae Bloom

An algae bloom turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool green days after President Donald Trump’s renovation project that aimed for the shade “American flag blue.”

“An algae bloom has turned the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool green days after the completion of President Donald Trump’s renovation project that aimed for the shade “American flag blue”

AP News

Forbes reported that workers tried to clean the algae again by dumping containers of 12% hydrogen peroxide into the pool after the $14.2 million renovations.

AP News

The Department of the Interior told multiple outlets hydrogen peroxide was a “milder treatment than chlorine and is used in spas and specialty pools like natural swimming pools,” and said it would have no adverse effect to wildlife that use the Reflecting Pool.

NBC News said the Trump administration had spent millions renovating the pool on the National Mall to make it “American flag blue” for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations, but the water turned dark green after hot weather.

The Hill said videos shared on social media showed workers dumping gallon bottles of the chemical into the 2,028-foot pool, which had turned green due to the algae bloom.

The Department of the Interior said it was using “high-tech nanobubble ozone technology” to kill algae, pathogens and contaminants, and also said “hydrogen peroxide, which is a milder treatment than chlorine” was treating the pool.

NBC News quoted a spokesperson saying “There are no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment,” as the National Park Service continued maintenance on the “American flag blue” effort.

CNN

CNN reported that the Department of Interior said “state of the art” filtration known as the “ozone nanobubbler” has been installed and is working, and that “hydrogen peroxide is being used as a “milder treatment” for algae in addition to the nanobubbler.”

CNN also said a Department of Interior spokesperson told it “Due to deploying the advanced nanobubbler technology, the algae is dead and being vacuumed up as we speak,” while a worker quipped it would take “an entire lifetime” to clean the pool.

The Hill added that hydrogen peroxide is used in spas and natural swimming pools as a less-harsh alternative to chlorine treatments, and quoted the DOI spokesperson saying it has “no harmful side effects to marine life or to the environment.”

The renovation’s price and contracting drew scrutiny as the pool’s algae returned, with Forbes citing public records showing about $14.2 million spent through a no-bid contract.

“President Donald Trump’s more than $14 million Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation was completed just over a week ago, with its iconic 2,800 square feet refilled with 6”

CNN

WIRED said the work was done under a no-bid contract by a company that has never worked for the federal government, and it reported that algae began forming less than a day after the updated pool was unveiled.

WIRED quoted an Interior Department spokesperson telling CNN that the bloom was due to “residual algae from the supply lines, which have been sitting dormant for eight weeks.”

The Hill said the renovations included repainting the base of the pool “American flag blue” and mending leaking joints, and it reported that the park service is using hydrogen peroxide in addition to an advanced filtration system that deploys ozone-injected nanobubbles.

NBC News said Trump had touted the beautification efforts as being completed by July 4 for the 250th anniversary, while Sen. Richard Blumenthal told NBC News that “American taxpayers ought to feel absolutely cheated.”