New work order authorized for transfer.

PE247 - The Ministry of National Integration authorizes, this Monday (14), a new service order for the start of works on Meta 3 North of the São Francisco River Integration Project, which passes through Mauriti, in Ceará, and São José de Piranhas, in Paraíba. Minister Francisco Teixeira will sign the second service order at 14 pm. The amount of R$ 484 million will be invested in the execution of complementary civil and electromechanical works on lots 6 and 7. Afterwards, the official will visit Pumping Station 1, in Cabrobó, in the Sertão of Pernambuco. Budgeted at R$ 8,2 billion, while the initial cost was R$ 4,5 billion. The works are expected to be completed in 2015.

The São Francisco River Integration Project is part of the Federal Government's Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). In 2013, 12 work orders were authorized for the project, generating more than 2,600 jobs. Currently, the project's construction employs more than 6,600 workers, and by the end of the year, 1,000 new jobs are expected to be created.

The water transfer project is divided into two axes: the North, which includes the states of Pernambuco, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, and Paraíba, and the East, which will benefit the people of Pernambuco and Paraíba. The project aims to bring water to nearly 400 municipalities in the Northeast that suffer from water supply difficulties.

According to the Ministry of Integration, the project has 16 lots, of which 14 are currently active. These are: Lot 1, in Cabrobó (PE); 2, 3 and 8, in Salgueiro (PE); Lot 4, in Verdejante (PE); Lot 5, in Brejo Santo (CE); Lot 6, in Mauriti (CE) - under remobilization; and Lot 7, in São José de Piranhas (PB) - under remobilization; Lots 9 and 13, in Floresta (PE); Lots 10 and 11, in Custódia (PE); 12, in Sertânia (PE); and 14, in São José de Piranhas (PB).