President Donald Trump has ordered emergency repairs to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington D.C., which has been overrun by algae blooms.
The executive directive, issued late Tuesday, mandates the National Park Service to drain and clean the pool within 48 hours. White House officials cited aesthetic degradation and public health concerns. The move has drawn attention from UK heritage authorities, who are monitoring the situation as a precedent for maintenance of iconic water features in London, such as the Serpentine.
The reflected pool, a centrepiece of the National Mall, has suffered from recurrent algal growth due to warm temperatures and nutrient runoff. Critics question the hasty timeline, but the administration insists it is a matter of national pride. UK officials have not commented publicly but are understood to be reviewing their own maintenance protocols.
