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Learn about the mega project to transpose the São Francisco River. The water project has 477 km of canals and revolutionizes the fight against drought in the Northeast.
Mega work in the Northeast: The transposition of the São Francisco River is one of the largest water infrastructure projects in Brazil, designed to reduce the impacts of drought in the Northeast and bring water to regions historically affected by scarcity. With 477 km of concrete canals already built, the project is divided into two main axes: North and East, benefiting millions of people in states such as Pernambuco, Ceará, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte.
The expectation, however, is that the scope of the project will be expanded. New stages are currently underway, and a complementary project is scheduled to begin in 2025, reinforcing the importance of the transfer for water security and sustainable development in the region.
The transposition of the São Francisco River
The first mention of the water project for the transposition of the São Francisco River occurred in the 1840s during the Brazilian empire. Dom Pedro II, during a visit to the Northeast, the idea of channeling the waters of the São Francisco River to regions affected by droughts was presented. However, the technical and financial limitations of the time prevented the mega-project from going ahead.
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A devastating drought of 1877 to 1879, which decimated about 10% of the population of Ceará, reignited the debate about the feasibility of transposing the São Francisco River. During the drought, engineers were sent to the region to study possible solutions. The construction of dams and reservoirs such as the Cedro reservoir was one of the alternatives proposed.
Despite this, the transposition of the São Francisco River continued to be seen as the definitive solution to the drought problem, but the water project faced numerous difficulties over the following decades, only being resumed in the 20th century with advances in tech and in engineering.
The modern project for the transposition of the São Francisco River began to take shape in 1985, in the National Department of Public Works and Sanitation. In 1999, the project was transferred to the Ministry of National Integration. Although considered strategic for the Northeast, the megaproject faced legal and bureaucratic disputes that delayed its start.
Understand how the Northeast Megaworks are composed
In July 2007, construction began, marking the beginning of one of the largest water projects in the world.
Originally, the transposition of the São Francisco River planned to build 699 km of canals and several additional branches. However, the Lula and Dilma governments reduced the water project to 477 km, approximately 68% of the initial plan.
This change also included the construction of monumental infrastructure, such as 13 aqueducts, 9 pumping stations, 27 reservoirs and 4 tunnels, with Cuncas 1 being the largest in Latin America, at 15 km long.
The North axis, 260 km long, and the East axis, 217 km long, were the two main components of the project. The North axis aims to feed important rivers and reservoirs, while the East axis supplies water to the Sertão and Agreste regions. These axes are essential to guarantee the water supply in regions that historically suffer from drought.
Transposition of the São Francisco River will have a PPP in 2025
It is worth mentioning that the federal government is about to sign a contract for the management of the waters from the transposition of the São Francisco River with the four states benefiting from the project, namely Ceará, Paraiba, Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte.
In parallel with the signing of the contract, the modeling of a public-private partnership (PPP) for the operation of the two axes (North and East) of the transposition will enter a decisive phase, which is currently carried out by the National Secretariat for Water Security of the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development.
The PPP means that the future company responsible for managing and operating the water will also receive public contributions to cover the project's costs. According to Waldez, one of the commitments to be made by the concessionaire is the installation of new sets of pumps to lift the water from the water project.
But the state of Minas Gerais, where the São Francisco River passes through deprived regions, similar to the regions along the river's course in the northeast region, also needs a river transposition.
What about the clandestine use of water from this important source of human survival and public investment?
Nobody keeps water in the safe.
There is no such thing as illegal water use. There is water that is misused. Like huge farms of rich businessmen who pay nothing and still receive benefits.