Shiralee Road resident David Phillips said he first noticed marking pegs outside his property on April 23, with pipes left on the roadside in preparation for laying the water and sewer mains.

The $4 million project will also include two pump stations.

Mr Phillips’ attempts to contact Orange City Council for more information have been unsuccessful and a letter in his mailbox from contractor JOSA Constructions, dated May 1, contained a site map he said was difficult to understand and did not include details on potential impacts on the creeks across his property.

“I want detailed plans - if you go to hospital for an operation, you would like to know what’s going on,” he said.

Despite the letter stating traffic flow would be maintained, Mr Phillips said Shiralee Road was closed for a number of hours on Monday.

He also queried whether residents who currently rely on bores and septic tanks would eventually have to foot water and sewer rates.

Orange City Council spokesman Nick Redmond said work would be completed by June, weather permitting.

He said JOSA was required to notify any resident within 200 metres of construction work, with ongoing contact, and the council had received numerous complaints like Mr Phillips’.

“The council has followed up these complaints with the contractor, who has assured that they have since spoken with affected residents,” he said.

“The council will be monitoring further communications ...  closely.”

Mr Redmond said once the first stage was completed, the council would consider when houses would be encouraged to make connections, and when it was appropriate to begin charging sewer and water rates to existing residents.

danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au