On Wednesday morning, workers poured hydrogen peroxide into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, as part of a series of attempts to control an algae bloom that has turned the pool bright green, despite President Donald Trump's costly renovation. The treatment was undertaken ahead of celebrations across the US capital after the pool was unveiled last week and quickly faced issues with residual algae from supply lines.

The water source is also a concern; the Reflecting Pool usually draws water from the nearby Tidal Basin, which is often filled with algae during periods of high amounts. The US Interior Department did not immediately respond to questions about which water source is currently feeding the pool. Hotter-than-normal weather, exacerbated by climate change, could make controlling the bloom more challenging.

President Trump has boasted about the work on the pool, which includes painting it blue and fixing leaks, while also saying that the company hired for repairs would be able to do so “in much less time, for much less money.” However, despite the renovations, algae began forming less than a day after the updated pool was unveiled. The Obama administration spent $34 million on a two-year renovation of the pool in the early 2010s.

With two weeks to go before the anniversary celebrations, it remains to be seen if the pool will be blue in time for America’s big birthday. Given the president's intense interest in the pool, more fixes are likely to be in the works if the hydrogen peroxide and nanobubbles do not resolve the issue.