Reflecting Pool repairs handed to the same company that won the no-bid contract and Interior Secretary says it’s because ‘they did a fantastic job’

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is set for another round of repairs, and the government is turning back to the same contractor that handled the previous project. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum confirmed the news on Sunday, noting that the decision to rehire the firm stems from the quality of their earlier work, The Hill reported.

“We’ll use the same company, because they did a fantastic job,” Burgum said during an appearance on Sunday. While the Secretary did not explicitly state the name of the company that would be contracted for a second go round of repairs, it is clear the administration is prioritizing continuity to get the site back in shape.

The initial work on the pool involved a $1.7 million contract awarded to Green Water Solutions, a company based in Ohio. This firm was instrumental in installing nanobubbler ozone technology, which was designed to kill algae and keep the water clear. Additionally, another company, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, previously held a $14.7 million contract to handle the waterproofing and repainting of the pool’s concrete floor.

The need for these new repairs follows allegations of vandalism at the site

According to the administration, individuals used a sharp object to damage the industrial liner at the bottom of the pool. This liner is a critical component of the structure, as it prevents leaks and protects the basin. “Thankfully, the vandalism was small. It was, it was bad. I mean, it could cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair, so then it could fall into a felony, felony thing, just like damaging any other government property could,” Burgum said.

President Trump and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro have both made it clear that they intend to pursue those responsible for damaging the site. Authorities have already arrested more than five people in connection with the potential crimes. Among those arrested is Olympian canoeist David Hearn, who was indicted on Thursday. Hearn has maintained that he merely touched the water and did not commit any act of destruction.

Burgum stated, “You can be a former governor, you can be a former this, you can be a former that, but just because you were a former something doesn’t exclude you from the law today.” He further added, “He can say what he wants to say, I wasn’t there, I was not an eyewitness. I mean, the courts will decide, but I think the law stands. That is a law that exists, and … again, if people are damaging federal government property, if people are defaming our monuments, they should face the consequences of that. So the courts will decide.”

Beyond the specific repairs to the liner, there has been a broader focus on maintaining the aesthetic quality of the Reflecting Pool. Previously, the site faced issues with muddy green water, which led to significant public discussion. Burgum confirmed that the algae issues are now resolved. “The algae is all gone,” he said. He described the presence of algae in the pipes as a momentary issue during the refilling process, but emphasized that the current state of the pool is clean and clear thanks to the new nanobubbler technology.

President Trump has also highlighted these improvements, sharing photos on Truth Social that showed the water looking significantly clearer. The administration has defended the multimillion-dollar renovation project, which included painting the bottom of the pool a distinct blue color.

Burgum expressed a desire to move past the controversy and focus on the larger issue of deferred maintenance across federal parks. “The job that was done to fix the Reflecting Pool was done extremely well, and hopefully we can move on from this and just talk about, you know, how we continue to do things like take care of this deferred maintenance problem,” he said.

He pointed to the Great American Outdoors Act as a key solution for these systemic issues. “We have deferred maintenance problems across our parks. President Trump is ready to sign the Great American Outdoors Act, which would bring the dollars to help fix all of our parks, not just ones like the National Mall, which is free, but help bring that across the country,” Burgum added.