A new plan to keep the Reflecting Pool clean – including annual purge of ‘nasty’ muck

By Sunlen Serfaty, CNN

(CNN) — A new, intensive plan to keep the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall clean is emerging after the Trump administration spent months trying to turn the iconic memorial sparkling blue at the behest of President Donald Trump.

The Department of Interior is soliciting bids to hire a contractor for the pool’s long-term maintenance after it is restored and repaired for the second time this year, according to public documents reviewed by CNN.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been plagued by growing algae, green-hued water, a chipping bottom and allegations of vandalism. The Trump administration hopes those problems will be remedied with the next round of renovations after the July Fourth holiday.

The National Park Service plans to begin draining the Reflecting Pool for repairs, including any damage to the lining, after Independence Day celebrations this weekend.

The search for a new contractor to undertake daily maintenance and cleanings underscores how challenging it is to keep the pool clean – as the request for bids lays out the full scope of work needed. The pool’s disrepair has dogged successive administrations that have struggled to address leaks and murky water.

Bids on the contract – including how much the work would cost – are due to the Department of Interior by July 8. The price tag of the Reflecting Pool’s revamp so far has ballooned to more than $14 million, significantly exceeding the initial estimates.

Separately, the Trump administration has installed a $1.7 million “ozone nanobubbler” in the Reflecting Pool to try to keep the water clear. The high-tech system purifies water by shooting oxygen into bubbles that break down algae and other contaminants.

The latest request for bids calls for a contractor to take on the daily maintenance and operation of the water, to “achieve cleanliness and clarity within the pool” and perform “proper preventative maintenance to promote the longevity of the system.”

The on-site contractor would monitor and troubleshoot all aspects of water treatment, including by manually removing debris, animal droppings and leaves in and around the pool daily and reporting any dead animals in the vicinity.

The document says the contractor would clean all filters and skimmers, and remove all “debris, pollen and sludge” daily from the pool.

The contractor also would manually disinfect the pool, as needed. Earlier this month, the Trump administration resorted to dumping gallons of hydrogen peroxide to try to clear algae blooms in the pool.

In addition, the contractor would be expected to clean the Reflecting Pool concrete as well as the grates, steel plates and valves in and around the pool. The coping stone around the pool would be pressure washed monthly.

Under the contract, which would begin in August and could be extended after the first year, the pool would be drained annually for a two-week period in February or March for cleaning and inspection.

The request for bids notes several issues that could arise with the material at the bottom of the pool – which is “slick and nasty and is a combination of wet leaves, duck and bird droppings.”

“For respiratory safety reasons, this material should never be allowed to dry, allowing it to dry makes it an airborne problem,” the request says.

The Department of Interior did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

The Interior Department has previously noted the need to repair and potentially replace thousands of feet of pipes at the Reflecting Pool that have been in disrepair for several years.

The department has not responded to multiple questions from CNN about the status of the pipes and the plan for their repair.

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