Interior Department seeks contractor for long-term upkeep of Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
The U.S. Department of the Interior is inviting bids for a contractor to handle daily maintenance and annual cleaning of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after recent repairs and the installation of an ozone treatment system.
The Department of the Interior announced a request for proposals to hire a contractor responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall. The contract, slated to start in August, would cover daily water treatment, debris removal, filter cleaning and periodic pressure-washing of surrounding stone, as well as an annual two-week drainage for inspection and repair. Bids must be submitted by July 8, and the award follows a series of repairs that have already cost more than $14 million, far above earlier estimates.
The agency plans to drain the pool after Independence Day celebrations to address lining damage and other structural issues. A recently installed $1.7 million ozone nanobubbler system is intended to reduce algae growth by injecting oxygen-filled bubbles that break down contaminants. In addition to routine cleaning, the contractor would be required to monitor water quality, troubleshoot equipment and report any dead wildlife found near the pool.
The request for bids notes that material accumulating at the pool’s bottom – described as a mixture of leaves, bird droppings and other debris – must be kept wet to prevent it from becoming an airborne respiratory hazard. The Interior Department did not respond to inquiries for comment on the bidding process or on the condition of the pool’s underlying pipe network, which officials have said may need extensive repair or replacement.