Contractor Confirms Renovation Errors Caused Reflecting Pool Damage
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Government documents show Atlantic Industrial Coatings admitted its bonding material failed, leading to cracks and algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, overturning earlier claims of vandalism.
Government records reviewed by a major newspaper indicate that Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the contractor for a $14.7 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, acknowledged flaws in its work that caused the liner to crack and develop algae. The company said insufficient primer was applied and that two chemicals with incompatible heat tolerances were mixed, causing the top layer to blister and detach when temperatures rose. Atlantic described the problem as a result of "human oversight" and noted the chemical combination is rarely used.
Former claims that the damage resulted from vandalism were later dismissed by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who said it was difficult to prove such acts beyond a reasonable doubt. Charges against former Olympian David Hearn and three other individuals were dropped in July. A federal judge has since questioned the merit of reopening the case.
The reflecting pool remains under warranty, meaning Atlantic Industrial Coatings is responsible for ongoing repairs, although the contractor has not commented on the situation.