If Trump Hadn’t Bragged About It

Algae resurfaces in reflecting pool after multimillion-dollar fixes https://t.co/WcEpReUrtH

— POLITICO (@politico) June 12, 2026

Nobody would have noticed.

The president has characterized the century-old pool as “filthy” and “dirty,” claiming that the pool would look “far more beautiful, more beautiful than it did in 1922” iupon renovation.

It’s not a new problem:

The pool was last renovated in 2012, when an ozone water filtration system was installed for the first time as part of President Barack Obama’s two-year, $34 million restoration project.

Ozone works by neutralizing nutrients required by algae to grow. Two months following the 2012 renovation, NPS officials decided to drain the pool again and double its ozone level to eradicate the large clumps of algae forming in the pool.

Stagnant water makes for a fine reflecting pool. It also breeds algae.

As part of the project, NPS also invested in a new nanobubbler filtration system, while a dedicated crew will also maintain the grounds from wildlife.

But it’s alright. Remain calm. All is well.

An Interior Department spokesperson said that the current algae is “residual” from supply lines that sat dormant for eight weeks during construction. The residue is part of the normal startup process, the spokesperson said.

In the meantime:

Thin layers of algae floated on the World War II Memorial side of the pool Friday morning, even after workers were seen cleaning out algae from the bottom of the pool Wednesday.

I dunno man. Algae that can survive without sunlight for photosynthesis (in the pipes, underground) is some kind of mutant ninja algae, man. 🥷