WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Park Service says it’s draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for cleaning and treatment.
Officials said in a statement that the draining will begin Sunday and the pool should be refilled and operational on June 19. They say the pool’s cleaning comes after a water-borne parasite affected the local duck population.
About 80 ducklings have been found dead in the pool since late last month. Officials say the cause of death was high levels of parasites that develop and grow in snails living in the pond. Officials say chemical treatments alone aren’t sufficient to fully reduce the parasite and snail population.
The statement say humans who come in contact with the parasite can develop a skin rash, though it rarely requires medical treatment.
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