Reflecting Pool Reopens On The National Mall

The reflecting pool on the National Mall has reopened Friday after a two-year, $34 million renovation. No more chain links fences or jersey barriers to block visitors from this national treasure.

Didi Kafka was taking pictures through a fence in front of the reflecting pool before she discovered that, just minutes after she had arrived, the barriers were coming down.

"Sometimes you gotta be at the right place at the right time," says Kafka.

National Parks superintendent Bob Vogel says the pool has been equipped with a filtration system that uses river water from the Tidal Basin, rather than the District's drinking water supply.

"We'll be saving about 20 million gallons of water per year and ultimately putting that water back into the Tidal Basin," says Vogel.

Prior to its closing, the pool had begun leak and its water, which came from the District's drinking supply, had become stagnant. The new filtration system draws from the nearby Tidal Basin.

"We've reduced the depth, so it's only about 3 feet at the deepest part, so we realized that we didn't need to put quite as much water into it," says Vogel. He says the improvements will conserve millions of gallons of tap water a year..