hydrogen peroxide reflecting pool
Definition
A specific environmental remediation technique involving the application of hydrogen peroxide to clear algae blooms in large reflecting basins, most notably associated with the recurring water quality challenges of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
A colloquial shorthand used in political commentary to describe expensive, high-profile infrastructure projects that require constant, chemically-assisted maintenance to avoid becoming public eyesores.
Examples
After the multi-million dollar renovation turned the water into a swamp, the administration’s brilliant strategy was to treat the Lincoln Memorial like a giant chemistry experiment with a hydrogen peroxide reflecting pool.
Nothing says fiscal responsibility quite like turning a historic monument into a hydrogen peroxide reflecting pool because someone forgot how biology works.
Maybe the next construction budget should include a permanent supply pipe for hydrogen peroxide reflecting pool maintenance, since we clearly plan on keeping nature at bay.
The sheer ambition of installing a hydrogen peroxide reflecting pool in the center of the capital is a masterful display of spending millions to achieve the aesthetic of a neglected aquarium.