And people close to him likely said it too. But no, Trump is going to be Trump and do what HE wants. We’re looking at what he’s doing to wreck memorials. We’re looking at what he’s doing in the nation’s capital. And we’re already tired of the vanity projects where we’re bleeding money to make him happy. But this was a foregone conclusion. With respect to Raw Story:
Workers were spotted dumping hydrogen peroxide by the gallon into the Reflecting Pool days after President Donald Trump’s $14.2 million renovation turned it green. CBS News journalist Bob Kovach was on the ground at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Tuesday morning. He posted a video of gallon jugs labeled “hydrogen peroxide” lined up at the water’s edge, with workers kneeling beside them and pouring the chemical straight in. The pool, which Trump had painted “American flag blue” and refilled just 12 days ago, has since turned a mossy green.
This was absolutely going to happen. If the water system wasn’t cleaned, at the very least, it likely needs a whole new system; it was going to go back to green exactly as fast as it did. This has been a problem for years. It’s probably going to stay a problem that we have to pay for. Government money is our money, too. Gallons of hydrogen peroxide will help a little bit in that specific area, but it’s not going to help for long.
Trump originally pitched the project as a one-week, $1.5 to $2 million job. It ballooned into a $14.2 million no-bid contract awarded to Atlantic Industrial Coatings — and algae appeared within days of the water being returned. A pool renovation expert had seen it coming. Canadian specialist Steve Goodale, known as “Swimming Pool Steve,” warned the Washingtonian that darker paint absorbs more sunlight, raises water temperature, and makes algae blooms inevitable. “‘If we change nothing else except the color, and we go from a lighter color to a darker color, absolutely you’re going to have more prolific algae growth,'” Goodale said. “‘It’s a foregone conclusion.'”
There is no way in hell that Trump would understand that. He wouldn’t even try. The only thing his blue did was make the green come back faster. Is it possible to remove the blue? What could be done when he’s gone? The water system really does need to be replaced. If one piece gets missed when it’s cleaned, it will be a waste of time because that one small spot will re-contaminate the water. That’s a guess, but it’s a logical inference if you think about it. People who visit expect it to be green. They know about the problem.
“‘Y’all, not to be a huge nerd but for the reflecting pool you would need a minimum of about 8,000 liters of 12% hydrogen peroxide to reach the 50 parts per million concentration to kill algae,'” Dr. Michael O’Brien, a South Carolina pediatrician, wrote on X. “Is this what happens when you have 0 scientists in your administration?” //// “‘They are now pouring bottles of hydrogen peroxide into the ultra-green algae-filled Reflecting Pool that Trump wasted $10m of our money on,'” commentator Brian Krassenstein piled on. The Interior Department blamed “residual algae” from supply lines that had been dormant during construction, insisting that nanobubblers would keep the pool clean going forward.
Had to look that up. Apparently, nanobubblers are a real thing and can help with algae buildup. Interesting. So, now we know the peroxide won’t help, and they’re probably going to have to skim it again until the water system catches up. But they will also likely need to fight this battle all summer, especially with the hot summers we’re getting. So Trump’s lovely money-wasting, American Flag Blue reflecting pool is green, and he can’t do a damn thing about it.
I apologize to all of you. I’ve been off my game lately due to things. I’ll be back on it shortly. See you soon!
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So, 14 million and they didn’t even clean or replace the equipment?
See the comment next to yours. I don’t actually know. I was guessing because it went green so quickly. I’m weird, I think it’s pretty.
My humor flubbed.
Exposed water develops algae, period. Even if all the pipes were replaced, even if all the “contamination” was bleached away and you literally sterilized everything — add water, wait a month (or less), and algae will appear. I’ve often wondered why they don’t stock the pool with algae-eating fish and/or snails; that shouldn’t harm the “reflecting” part of the pool.
A few years back, I bought a brand-new, 50-gallon poly tub to provide outdoor water for dogs, cats, and birds. I was so determined not to let algae develop; found an animal-safe algaecide to use, followed directions for weekly use, and thoroughly scrubbed the tub once every 6 weeks or so. Regardless, it still developed — and continues to develop — algae. Now I’m trying water hyacinth at one end of the tub, which is supposed to clean the water, and may add water snails. (Fish are off the list; they’d be eaten by my neighbor’s free-range geese.)
It’s impossible to prevent contamination. The first time a duck lands in the pool, or a leaf blows in to float on the water — boom! There’s the source for the nucleus of algae-growth. I suppose someone — or several someones — tried to explain that to the orange turd, but common sense is an unknown concept to him. But those poor park employees are fighting an unwinnable battle.
Oof, I’m embarrassed now. Thank you for the information. Fish in the Reflecting Pool would be really cool. I always like watching them swim around. Other people probably would, too. Or water gardens with the right king of ones that support it. Catfish are bottom feeders. Maybe we need them (ha).
I’ve done some research, because I’m so tired of scuzzy water. (The animals don’t mind, but, you know…) Catfish are an iffy proposition; the amount they poop pretty much cancels out the cleaning they do. But there are other species that would be helpful.
Nah, not flubbed; just not enough experience. We’re used to seeing ponds that are a living ecosystem — circulated, filtered water, plants, fish, etc, which controls the algae, so we think that’s a “natural” state for water. But a static system — the reflecting pool, my tub — needs constant management. If they’re pouring in hydrogen peroxide, they might as well use chlorine at swimming-pool levels. No fish could live in it, but I think it wouldn’t hurt ducks to float and swim in it, and *that* would kill the algae!
Nobody’s mentioned whether or not the water in the reflecting pool is moved by pumps, as swimming pool water is. Given the size of it, perhaps not. If it’s not pumped and just sits there, then stagnant will be its natural state, and good luck ever getting it algae-free. If it does have pumps, then a white-painted basin and constant maintenance will keep it clear.