The Reflecting Pool algae problem has made an unwelcome comeback, and it didn’t take long. Barely a week after the Trump administration wrapped up a $14.2 million overhaul of the National Mall’s iconic water feature, the reservoir meant to gleam in “American Flag Blue” was once again tinted a vivid, mossy green.

A Quick Return to Green

The renovation was supposed to deliver a clean, patriotic look ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday. Instead, the pool’s long-standing nemesis reasserted itself almost immediately.

Photos and videos circulating over the weekend appeared to capture National Park Service workers wading into the water on Sunday, using hand tools to scoop out clumps of algae. Yet despite the effort, images taken the following day still showed the pool looking distinctly green.

The Administration’s Response

The Department of the Interior pushed back on the idea that anything had gone wrong, instead framing the cleanup as routine upkeep of a finished project. Spokesperson Katie Martin told Forbes that the Park Service was simply maintaining what she called a beautifully completed pool, and she laid blame on earlier administrations for never properly addressing the recurring algae.

Martin highlighted a piece of technology the administration installed to tackle the issue:

• “Nanobubblers,” which she said had successfully wiped out the algae bloom that has troubled every reopening of the pool since 1922.
• She claimed the algae was already dead and being vacuumed up as she spoke.
• She credited President Donald Trump with cleaning up the Reflecting Pool “for good.”

Just days earlier, the department had offered a slightly different explanation to CNN, describing the algae still visible as “residual” growth left over from supply lines that had sat dormant during construction. Its reappearance, officials said at the time, was simply part of the normal startup process.

Why the Algae Keeps Coming Back

The pool’s struggle with algae is nothing new, but some experts suggest the renovation may have made matters worse rather than better. A pool specialist noted that switching to a darker shade of blue could actually intensify the problem, since deeper colors absorb more sunlight and raise the water temperature, creating ideal conditions for algae to flourish.

In other words, the very paint chosen to beautify the pool might be feeding the bloom it was meant to outshine. Experts have pointed to stronger filtration and added treatment as the kind of measures that would more reliably keep the water clear.

A Pattern of Capital Makeovers

The Reflecting Pool project fits into a broader campaign by Trump to reshape the look of Washington during his second term. Among his other high-profile efforts have been tearing down the White House’s East Wing to make way for a ballroom and floating the idea of a grand triumphal arch near Arlington Cemetery.

The pool itself was drained back in April so it could be repainted in Trump’s chosen shade. Public records show the administration spent $14.2 million on the work, a figure that climbed well beyond the president’s early estimates. The contract was awarded without competitive bidding to a firm that had previously done work at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia.

On June 4, both Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the project was complete and that water would begin flowing back in. Burgum noted the timing was meant to align with the country’s 250th birthday celebration on July 4.

What It Means Going Forward

For now, the gap between the administration’s polished messaging and the green-tinged reality on the ground is hard to miss. Whether the nanobubblers ultimately deliver on the promise of an algae-free pool, or whether the darker paint keeps inviting the bloom back, remains to be seen.

With the Fourth of July fast approaching and the world watching the National Mall, the pressure to keep the water blue rather than green is only likely to grow. This is a developing story, and the days ahead will show whether the latest fix holds any better than those that came before it.