The same day the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool started to turn a brilliant chartreuse, the National Park Service began exploring a new plan to upgrade the water treatment pipes that feed the pool — the same frequently cracking and leaking pipes that the Trump administration knew were a problem well before it began more superficial repairs on the pool earlier this year.
The Trump administration had already declared the $15 million repairs on the reflecting pool complete, but an algae bloom was now stopping the president from closing the book on the project.
Days later, the National Park Service quietly updated its rules for any future company it hires to maintain the pool: They have to keep the water in a “clean, clear, and aesthetically acceptable condition.”