Material has begun peeling from the floor of Washington's famous Reflecting Pool just days after the completion of a multi-million-dollar renovation project ordered by President Donald Trump.
The issue involves paint applied to the bottom of the pool to give the water a blue appearance, according to reports by The Washington Post, CNN and ABC News. The exact cause of the problem was not immediately clear.
Trump had the landmark renovated at a cost of about $14.2 million. As part of the project, the pool floor was coated in a dark blue finish that Trump described as "American flag blue."
The makeover had already run into difficulties when huge algae blooms turned the water green. Park employees added hydrogen peroxide to the water this week in an attempt to combat the algae.
The Reflecting Pool is shallow, sits in direct sunlight and can heat up a lot in the summer. Following a major refurbishment during the Obama presidency, algae returned within weeks. A new water treatment system installed as part of the latest renovation is intended to keep the pool free of algae in the future.
Renovation sparked political controversy
The renovation project had already attracted political scrutiny before the algae and paint fiascos.
US media reported that the administration awarded contracts to selected companies without a competitive bidding process. Officials said the decision was driven by time pressure ahead of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the US.
The Reflecting Pool is one of Washington's most iconic landmarks. The roughly 600-metre-long pool stretches between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
It also served as the backdrop for civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963.
The latest renovation was intended to be completed in time for celebrations of the 250th anniversary of US independence on July 4.
