Acre faces sanitation crisis and severe drought

The state of Acre is facing a dual crisis of inadequate sanitation and severe drought. A report from the Instituto Trata Brasil reveals that approximately 57 million liters of untreated sewage are discharged into local rivers and streams daily. This environmental degradation is compounded by the fact that nearly 90% of the population lacks sewage collection, and only 25% of the water consumed in the state undergoes treatment before being returned to the environment.

Dr. Alexsande de Oliveira Franco, a researcher at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac), warns that this lack of treatment poses a direct threat to public health, particularly for those consuming water from wells. The situation is exacerbated by the current dry season, which reduces water volumes and increases the concentration of waste in remaining water sources.

Simultaneously, the Rio Acre has reached a low level of 1.10 meters in Brasiléia, near the Bolivian border. Local Civil Defense authorities are monitoring the river as the Amazonian summer brings high temperatures and low rainfall. In regions like Alto Acre, temperatures are expected to reach 35°C, prompting officials to urge the population to avoid water waste.