Mick Munroe

Mick Munro is the manager of the Orange Olympic Pool, overseeing the day-to-day maintenance of the swimming, diving and toddlers’ pools and surrounding grounds, supervising staff, ordering equipment and ensuring the public enjoy their time at the pool.

"I like working outdoors and I like being my own boss. You meet different people every day. I just like working with water. Ever since I was little I always liked water."

We've got one of the best outdoor pools in country NSW. We try to have a friendly environment for parents, their children, and the elderly people. People with disabilities also use the pool on a regular basis.

You've got to have the water quality up to scratch – that's monitored on a four-hourly basis. The plant equipment has got to be maintained and you've got to backwash the pool. We put chlorine in the water to kill any germs and a little bit of acid – we've got to keep the pH scale between 7.2 and 7.5.

There are four water tanks and each holds about 24,000 litres. Two of them are for the irrigation system that we water the lawns with – that's bore supplied. There are two 'balance' tanks which collect any water that comes out of the swimming pool, recycle it, and put it back into the pool. They are a back-up for what we lose through evaporation.

This water is from the town's mains. We cover the pool of a night time to maintain the temperature and that keeps costs down.

I like working outdoors and I like being my own boss. You meet different people every day. I just like working with water. Ever since I was little I always liked water.