Greenwater Services received a $1.7 million [1] no-bid contract on June 18 to install a water-cleaning system at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
The contract has drawn scrutiny because the company is owned by John J. Cafaro, a donor who gave more than $300,000 [3] to Trump-affiliated political committees. The award raises questions about the intersection of political contributions and government procurement for national landmarks.
The project was initiated to address recurring algae blooms that appeared after a $14 million [2] renovation of the pool area. Reports indicate that algae levels in June were higher than any June in the previous five years [2]. While C-SPAN reported that the pool was cleaned, other reports indicate the water turned green again shortly after the project began [1, 2].
White House officials defended the procurement process and the speed of the work. A White House spokeswoman said, "The president was not involved in selecting Greenwater Services."
Another White House official said, "We are cleaning the pool faster than the Iranian navy destroys ships."
The installation of the new system was intended to provide a long-term solution to water quality issues. However, the effectiveness of the $1.7 million [1] expenditure remains a point of contention as the pool continues to struggle with algae growth despite the recent intervention.
“"The president was not involved in selecting Greenwater Services."”
The controversy centers on the use of a no-bid contract awarded to a significant political donor for a project that has yet to show lasting results. The persistence of algae blooms after both a $14 million renovation and a $1.7 million specialized cleanup suggests a systemic failure in the pool's water management or an ineffective solution provided by the contractor.
