Seb Papa is gearing up to sue a neighbouring motel for letting sewage flow on to his farm, claiming he cannot grow anything – not even hay – because he’d be liable for any ensuing illness.

Narrandera Shire Council general manager Judy Charlton has been dragged into the muck and is currently being investigated for misconstruing NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) findings to councillors.

The untreated raw sewage leak stopped more than two years ago when the Newell Motor Inn was connected to town sewerage, but Mr Papa claims he’s still suffering the fall-out.

In April, Mr Papa’s 7-year-old son was struck down with a bacterial infection common among gastroenteritis sufferers.

Jack’s symptoms have caused debilitating pain, which has stopped him going to school.

Narrandera doctor Rick McQueen-Thomson noted laboratory tests had found salmonella in the soil, which he worried may present “a danger” to children and advised that the area be cleaned up.

Mr Papa had tests conducted by a Wagga laboratory in October 2014, which confirmed the presence of “foecal coliforms” considered a “significant risk to human and environmental health”.

According to a Narrandera Shire Council spokeswoman, the council will pay for further soil testing on a “no prejudice” basis, in order to provide Mr Papa up-to-date information.

Council is adamant it has been completely transparent throughout the process.

Mr Papa, whose late father once owned the land the motel sits on, has tried and failed to obtain organic farming certification because of the contamination.

“The farm left to me a few years ago but I can’t do anything with it,” Mr Papa told The Daily Advertiser.

“I wanted to grow vegetables comercially but I can’t because of the salmonella; I’ll be blamed, not council and not council.”