Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Undergoes Blue Resurfacing as Part of $8 Million Renovation Project

Workers began applying a blue resurfacing material, typically used for pool surfaces, to the drained basin on a recent Saturday. The project aligns with a March executive order directing the Interior Department to restore monuments and public spaces.

Workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests applied a vivid blue industrial-grade coating to the drained basin of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Saturday. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was drained, exposing its concrete floor, as crews spread the coating. C.

C. D.C. The effort follows a March executive order directing the Interior Department to lead a sweeping initiative focused on restoring monuments and improving public spaces across the capital. A 2023 National Park Service project sheet identified deteriorating expansion joints, undersized circulation lines, and an inadequate ozone system as key issues for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool required tens of millions of gallons of additional water annually. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's water costs exceeded $1 million in a single year. An earlier proposal for a full granite replacement, estimated at $301 million over three years, was not pursued in favor of this resurfacing approach.

5 million to $2 million and be completed in weeks. Contract records for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool resurfacing and water-treatment components indicate a total cost exceeding $8 million.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has faced structural issues including chronic water loss, aging infrastructure, failing pipes, deteriorating joints, and an underperforming treatment system.