Bay County commissioners are continuing work on a deal they say will help them plan more responsibly for growth in unincorporated areas of northern Bay County.

Board members plan to buy the rest of Gulf Coast Electric cooperative's sewer and water system. The county already owns a portion of the facility.

This deal will expand the retail water and waste water services. Commissioners also say the deal is the most cost-effective and environmentally acceptable move for Bay County.

Jerry Girvin, Bay County Community Chairman, said, "All those houses up there right now are on septic tanks. By putting this service in, we can eliminate a lot of these and it's going to help the lake, it's going to help the water system, the aquifer. It will also be beneficial for growth in that area so this is a win-win."

The price is a little more than $14.6 million. The county is borrowing a $21, with the additional money going to improve the system's infrastructure over the next five years.

The purchase will be final in the beginning part of next year.