Steve Goodale, the internet’s favourite pool expert, is no stranger to camera time. His YouTube channel, Swimming Pool Steve, has amassed nearly 91,000 subscribers, yet he's never seen anything like the attention his expertise on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has garnered.

The renovation that was supposed to make the pool ‘American flag blue’ for a national celebration is now mired in mystery. Algae blooms turned it greener than a St Patrick’s Day bash, chunks of lining are peeling off and, amid all this confusion, even the authorities blame vandals.

‘There’s not enough information to make definitive calls,’ Goodale explains. ‘It's like trying to diagnose an illness without x-rays – there are just too many variables.’ He points out that pools require meticulous maintenance, and a single oversight can spell disaster.

The problem is exacerbated by the pool's monumental scale. Unlike your average backyard pool, this one involves technical feats that demand masterful execution. Yet, despite decades of experience, Goodale acknowledges that even he can only scratch the surface when it comes to pinpointing the exact cause.

‘The Department of Interior keeps saying they have nanobubblers on but I’m not convinced,’ he says. ‘Nanobubbler technology is supposed to kill algae and control phosphorus release, but we don’t know if that’s working here.’ The mystery remains unsolved as authorities and experts grapple with the perplexing issues plaguing this iconic monument.