FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * FRIEDMAN RICHARD A   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Nalco Holding CO [NLC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO., 85 BROAD STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/29/2005 (Street) NEW YORK, NY 10004 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 04/29/2005   P   200 A $ 17.82 22,121,505 I See Footnotes (1) (2) (3) Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   200 D $ 17.89 22,121,305 I See Footnotes (1) (2) (3)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
FRIEDMAN RICHARD A C/O GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO. 85 BROAD STREET NEW YORK, NY 10004	X

Signatures

/s/ Edward T. Joel, Attorney-in-fact		05/03/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The Reporting Person is a managing director of Goldman, Sachs & Co. ("Goldman Sachs"). Goldman Sachs is a direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ("GS Group"). The securities reported herein as indirectly purchased and sold were beneficially owned directly by Goldman Sachs. Without admitting any legal obligation, Goldman Sachs or an affiliate will remit appropriate profits, if any, to Nalco Holding Company (the "Company").
(2)	The 22,121,305 shares reported herein as indirectly beneficially owned are beneficially owned directly by Nalco LLC and reflects an indirect beneficial ownership in the Company based on the membership interest in Nalco LLC held by certain investment partnerships and a limited liability company of which affiliates of Goldman Sachs and GS Group are the general partner, managing general partner, managing partner or manager, which own in the aggregate approximately 24% of Nalco LLC. The balance of the membership interest in Nalco LLC is held by affiliates of The Blackstone Group L.P. and Apollo Management V, L.P., as well as certain members of management of the Company.
(3)	The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares of Nalco Holding Company's (the "Company"), common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock") in excess of his pecuniary interest, if any, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that any such person or entity is the beneficial owner of, or has any pecuniary interest in, such securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.

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