The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Turned Green. Your Backyard Pool Doesn’t Have To.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool reopened this week following a $14.2 million renovation that aimed to prepare the site for America's 250th anniversary. The project included repairing leaks and upgrading the filtration system, with a request from President Donald Trump to paint the pool blue. However, visitors on the weekend encountered murky green water and algae, which obscured the pool's characteristic reflections. The National Park Service immediately initiated cleanup efforts as images of the algae bloom circulated on social media. Communications director Kate Martin stated that the algae originated from "residual algae from the supply lines" that had been dormant for eight weeks during construction, characterizing it as a "normal startup process." Jimmie Meece, brand president at America's Swimming Pool Co., noted that even iconic pools require consistent maintenance and occasional renovation to remain functional and aesthetically pleasing, drawing a parallel to home pool upkeep.