Reflecting Pool liner cut with sharp knife or razor, National Park Service says

The liner of the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC was cut with a sharp knife or razor earlier this month, according to a court filing by Frank Lands, deputy director of operations for the National Park Service. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.

Lands said in the filing on Thursday that US Park Police responded to a report of an incident on 9 June regarding the pool's liner, which caused damage to the foam sealant that had been installed as part of a recent multi-million dollar rehabilitation project. The damage included "a caulk over the foam sealant that was cut with a sharp knife or razor and destruction of delaminating surface material." Additionally, approximately 70 fence post tops were thrown into the pool.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump blamed vandals for "a 300 foot long gash" and accused someone of putting fertiliser in the water. However, the court filing does not specify when exactly the damage occurred or identify any suspects.

The statement is part of a lawsuit filed by a nonprofit organization seeking to stop the Trump administration's work on the site. It is also the first public record detailing how the pool may have been damaged after work on the project was completed.

Renovations to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool started in April and went on for two months. The 2,000-foot-long basin was drained and a tinted polyurea liner was installed to waterproof and protect the concrete pool surface. But after being refilled with water, the pool was plagued by an algae bloom and developed issues with the deep blue paint.

Five people have been arrested for vandalism in connection with the Reflecting Pool, and five others were issued federal citations, according to US Park Police. The NPS plans to drain the pool once more after Independence Day celebrations on 4 July to conduct repairs.

The pool, built in the 1920s and stretching 2,030ft (619m) between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, has long suffered leaks, structural deterioration, faulty pipes, algae growth and bird droppings.