Inspection Finds 85 Failures in Reflecting Pool Liner

A contractor-commissioned inspection found at least 85 failures in the newly installed liner at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, attributing the damage to installation problems rather than identifying vandalism as a cause. Repairs are underway, and the Interior Department says the contractor is contractually responsible for fixing the pool. The 75-page analysis by Atlantic Coating Inspection, dated August 6, recorded failures at eight of the pool basin’s 10 expansion joints, nearly 40 blisters and nearly two dozen areas where the liner peeled, according to accounts of the report. It identified improper materials and installation timing among the likely causes. The report said workers were still applying coating the day before the pool was refilled on June 4, although the material required 72 hours to cure. It also described problems involving moisture or chemical fumes trapped beneath the liner. The report was commissioned by Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the company that installed the coating. The findings conflict with President Donald Trump’s attribution of the damage to vandals. The inspection report does not mention vandalism.