The paint is now peeling at Trump's $14 million reflecting pool "renovation"

Hawkeye10 said:
I saw a report that before the Obama era renovations the problem was not algae but bird poop.....because the pool had been completely neglected.
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Grok:

Partially true, but overstated and incomplete.

Bird poop (especially from Canada geese) and general neglect were real pre-2012 issues, but algae was also a long-standing, recurring problem for decades before the Obama renovation—not a new issue that suddenly appeared afterward.


Pre-2012 Conditions​


  • The pool (built in the 1920s) suffered from chronic neglect, structural decay (leaking, sinking into the ground), stagnant water, and accumulation of debris. By the late 20th/early 21st century, it was in poor shape and required major intervention.
  • Bird/goose droppings were a documented nuisance. Geese frequented the area, leaving guano that contributed to filth and nutrient buildup. Contemporary articles (e.g., 2012 WaPo opinion pieces) specifically mentioned geese fouling the pool and paths during the renovation period.
  • Algae was not absent before 2012. The shallow, sun-exposed design made it prone to blooms in warm weather for decades. It was one of the key reasons for the 2009–2012 renovation (along with leaks and stagnation). The switch to Tidal Basin water + filtration was explicitly aimed at addressing water quality issues, including algae.

Post-Renovation Reality​


The 2012 project fixed structural problems and improved circulation, but algae returned quickly (a known risk with the new water source and shallow depth). It has been a periodic issue ever since, including routine cleanings that remove debris, droppings, and algae.


Bottom line: The "bird poop from neglect" claim captures part of the pre-2012 mess (debris and geese were factors), but it's not accurate to say algae wasn't a problem before.

The pool has had multifaceted water quality and maintenance challenges for nearly its entire history. The renovation improved some things but didn't eliminate the inherent vulnerabilities of a large, shallow outdoor basin.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
A little over I think.
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Yes, a bit.


Grok:

Obama's 2012 renovation was far more expensive, but was more comprehensive:


  • Structural overhaul: Driving thousands of pilings deep into the ground to stabilize the sinking/leaking pool.
  • Full reconstruction/rebuilding of the basin and infrastructure.
  • New circulation and filtration system (switch to Tidal Basin water with ozone treatment).
  • Addressing long-term stagnation, leaks, and water quality.
  • Added paved paths and other site improvements.
  • Took ~2 years (or 18+ months of active work).

The 2026 project was more limited and cosmetic/fast-tracked:


  • Primarily resurfacing/sealing the bottom with a blue ("American flag blue") coating/sealant.
  • Some leak repairs, cleaning, and upgrades to filtration (nanobubblers/ozone).
  • Exterior/path touch-ups in later phases.
  • Completed in weeks/months, not years.

In short, the 2012 project was a much larger, more expensive structural rebuild, while 2026 focused on a quicker aesthetic and maintenance refresh on top of the existing (post-2012) system. Both have faced criticism over lingering algae and other issues.
 
Cant find it now but I saw an X post claiming that the contractor was contacted....he has no idea what if anything happened.....but there is a warranty and at some point there will be an evaluation.
 
Cypress said:
That costs $14 million?
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Grok:

Whether it's "too expensive" depends on perspective, but here's some context:


Cost Breakdown and Scope​


  • The project involved draining the ~2,000-foot pool, power washing/fumigating, applying a waterproof blue coating/sealant to the basin, fixing some leaks, upgrading filtration (nanobubblers/ozone), and related site work. It was fast-tracked for the 250th anniversary.
  • Costs escalated from the initial ~$1.5M estimate due to expansion (more exterior work, contractor realities, testing failures, etc.). Federal records show ~$14–14.8M in contracts so far.
  • For comparison: The 2012 Obama-era overhaul was ~$34–35M.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
Cant find it now but I saw an X post claiming that the contractor was contacted....he has no idea what if anything happened.....but there is a warranty and at some point there will be an evaluation.
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Scroll up and read. CNN report.
 
Diogenes said:
What @Cypress "forgot" to mention, per CNN:

Shown pictures and videos of the material, Eddie Wood, who owns Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the Virginia-based firm hired to renovate the pool, said the images do not provide enough information “to tell exactly what that is.”

“There’s several things that we’ve got to address when we come back for maintenance, and anything like that will be addressed, if it’s a problem,” Wood said.

Tim Auerhahn, a pool infrastructure expert and the chairman of the Aquatic Council, said it’s difficult to tell from the videos what was causing the “apparent delamination.”

“A coating system can fail for several reasons, including substrate preparation, surface contamination, application conditions, adhesion issues, product selection, mechanical damage, environmental exposure, or a combination of factors,” Auerhahn said.

Issues with algae and leaks have bedeviled various presidential administrations nearly since the pool was first opened a century ago.

In 2012, President Barack Obama’s administration spent $34 million on an 18-month renovation of the pool which was meant to address ongoing issues with algae blooms.

However, shortly after that renovation was completed, the pool again became a murky, smelly mess, filled with algae, bird waste and dead ducks.
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Well then, if the problem stems largely from living things falling in and dying, or from birds shitting in it etc, etc, I (with the aid of A I) have devised what would likely be a simple and highly effective solution.....

829554d4-f5b5-4dd1-b6c2-4f38e941d2ae.jpg
 
Nomad said:
Well then, if the problem stems largely from living things falling in and dying, or from birds shitting in it etc, etc, I (with the aid of A I) have devised what would likely be a simple and highly effective solution.....

829554d4-f5b5-4dd1-b6c2-4f38e941d2ae.jpg
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I doubt the the National Park Service is soliciting bids for that, nor did I or CNN say "the problem stems largely from living things falling in and dying, or from birds shitting in it".
 
Diogenes said:
I doubt the the National Park Service is soliciting bids for that, nor did I or CNN say "the problem stems largely from living things falling in and dying, or from birds shitting in it".
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Donnagenes said:
"However, shortly after that renovation was completed, the pool again became a murky, smelly mess, filled with algae, bird waste and dead ducks."
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But of course you're right..."nobody" said that.

Absolutely NOBODY.

(FYI.... I was being facetious about the screen enclosure. Google "facetious")
 
I believe the problem stems from the water source and the pipes feeding into the pool. Shallow pool, hot weather, and bad water source.
 
Lionfish said:
I believe the problem stems from the water source and the pipes feeding into the pool. Shallow pool, hot weather, and bad water source.
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It's been an ongoing issue for a century. No JPP lefty ever mentioned it before 2026, AFAIK. You know why they're posting about it now, and so do I.
 
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