But government documents obtained by The Times say the contract has already cost far more than Mr. Trump said it would, and that repairs would be needed again far sooner.
They also show that Mr. Trump’s plan does not address one of the pool’s main problems: faulty plumbing in its filtration system. As a result, experts said it was unclear if Mr. Trump’s pool would remain blue — or if it would soon be obscured by a recurring layer of green algae.
“Painting is not going to solve that problem,” said Tim Auerhahn, the chairman of the Aquatic Council, a consulting firm for the pool and hot-tub industry.
Last month, The Times reported that the Park Service used a similar urgency exemption to give
a secret, no-bid contract now worth $17.4 million to the same firm that Mr. Trump chose to build his White House ballroom. The contract was for a seemingly mundane job: fixing the ornamental fountains in Lafayette Park, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.
This spring, it said the Reflecting Pool repairs were also too urgent to take time gathering other bids.
Atlantic Industrial Coatings was hired to perform only one of the three tasks that the Park Service said was needed. The company is supposed to reseal the pool’s joints, and waterproof the slabs.
The government has already agreed to pay the company
$6.9 million — more than triple the $1.8 million Mr. Trump promised. The Park Service’s internal estimates indicate the cost could exceed $12 million. Documents reviewed by The Times show that at least part of the work would be paid for with fees paid by guests visiting national parks.
