Interior Department Seeks Bids for Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Maintenance

The Department of the Interior is soliciting bids for a contractor to perform long-term maintenance of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after its restoration and repair, Cnn reported. The work follows the second round of renovations to the pool in 2026. The National Park Service plans to drain the pool for repairs after July 4, 2026, Independence Day celebrations.

Bids for the maintenance contract are due by July 8. The contract would begin in August and could be extended after the first year. The Reflecting Pool revamp has cost more than $14 million to date. The Trump administration installed a $1.7 million ozone nanobubbler system that purifies water by injecting oxygen into bubbles to break down algae and contaminants.

Earlier in June the administration added gallons of hydrogen peroxide to address algae blooms. The bid request requires the contractor to remove debris, animal droppings and leaves daily from the pool and surrounding area and to report any dead animals found nearby.

The contractor must also clean all filters and skimmers daily, remove debris, pollen and sludge, and manually disinfect the pool as needed.

Additional duties include cleaning the concrete, grates, steel plates and valves, and pressure washing the coping stone monthly. The pool would be drained annually for a two-week cleaning and inspection in February or March. The request notes that material at the bottom of the pool consists of slick, wet leaves mixed with 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 Interior Department has previously identified the need to repair or replace thousands of feet of pipes at the Reflecting Pool that have been in disrepair for several years.