Interior Department says reflecting pool water is clear as workers combat algae growth
Federal workers are removing algae from Washington's reflecting pool after a $14.2 million renovation, while the Interior Department maintains the water is clear despite eyewitness reports of murkiness.
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Federal crews are working to clear algae that has turned Washington’s reflecting pool a shade of green following a $14.2 million refurbishment ordered by the president to restore the water to a blue hue for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The renovation, carried out by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, has encountered problems with algae growth and peeling of the new coating, prompting workers in waders to manually remove the buildup.
The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, stated on X that the pool water is “crystal clear” and that staff are vacuuming algae from the bottom. In a press release, the department compared the algae-removal effort to the U.S. Navy’s actions in the Persian Gulf, saying the situation is “just like the destroyed Iranian Navy resting on the bottom of the Persian Gulf.”
The agency also attributed reports of murky water to “Fake News Media.” Officials have suggested that a newly installed “nanobubbler” water-treatment system has been effective in killing the algae, though the problem persists amid warm weather.
The reflecting pool, a historic site known for events such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 speech, has been a focal point of the administration’s broader effort to revamp Washington’s landmarks.
