WINFIELD | Merrillville Town Manager Tim Brown offered the use of town equipment to locate and clean a pipe that could be clogged, and may be contributing to the flooding problem on 101st Avenue.

Brown attended the Winfield Town Council meeting Tuesday where council members discussed the problem that affects Winfield residents on the south side of the street.

Brown said Merrillville has a "sewer vac, and if we can find the pipe, assuming it's still there, the hose goes 600 to 800 feet."

Merrillville, which has jurisdiction over 101st Avenue, closed the street and it likely will remain closed through April.

Winfield officials, led by Town Council President Ken Thieneman, continue to research the issue and are trying to verify information they received from a contractor who did work more than 13 years ago for the same Winfield property owner.

Winfield Town Engineer Tony Kenning said it's critical to discover which way the water flows in the area. He also said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be part of any solution. Winfield officials maintain the water flows north, while Merrillville contends the water flows south.

Assuming the contractor who did the work is correct regarding the historical information about the area, Brown said as of last summer that area began to flood and "it's something that was done recently."

Winfield Town Attorney Bill Enslen suggested Merrillville take civil action against the homeowner if the homeowner caused the problem rather than "throwing it back to Winfield so they have to spend the money."