Post Finds 7 Reflecting Pool Failures Tied to Installation Flaws, Not $14 Million Vandalism Claims
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 16
Post Finds 7 Reflecting Pool Failures Tied to Installation Flaws, Not $14 Million Vandalism Claims
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 16
Summary
Seven peeling spots in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool lined up with seams between coating sections, according to a Washington Post analysis of site visits, imagery and renovation records.
Four waterproofing experts said that pattern strongly points to application errors: adjacent Pipeliner 5000 sections were sprayed at least five hours apart, beyond the product’s four-hour drying window, and one area was coated more than 24 hours after primer.
Three failures also sat on visible expansion joints, and available visuals did not show the special edge preparation experts said cured seams require to bond properly.
Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had blamed vandals for more than 300 feet of damage, but officials provided no evidence; photos this week showed the 4 million-gallon pool drained for repairs.
The defects surfaced within weeks of the pool’s early June reopening after a no-bid $14 million renovation, with the same contractor expected to handle fixes that Burgum said could cost tens of thousands of dollars.