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A survey by Instituto Trata Brasil shows that Acre could have one of the biggest gains in the country with the universalization of basic sanitation. According to the study, each resident of the state could receive, on average, R$894.98 in economic and social benefits if everyone had access to treated water and sanitation.
In the capital Rio Branco, for example, the estimated gain from universalization would be R$735.93 per person | Photo: Val Fernandes
The value is the second highest among the states in the Legal Amazon, behind only Rondônia. Currently, Acre still faces major difficulties in sanitation, with limited water and sewage coverage, which directly impacts the health and quality of life of the population.
In the capital Rio Branco, for example, the estimated gain from universalization would be R$735.93 per person, the highest among all capitals in the Legal Amazon. Today, however, the city only occupies 97th position in the 2025 Sanitation Ranking, which shows the size of the challenge in achieving the goals set by 2033.
According to the Sanitation Legal Framework, by 2033 Brazil must guarantee drinking water for 99% of the population and sewage collection and treatment for 90%.
In the case of Acre, achieving these rates would mean reducing diseases, improving school attendance, increasing productivity at work and protecting the environment, in addition to boosting the state’s economic development.
Acre remains among the states with the lowest access to drinking water and basic sanitation in the country
Acre continues to face serious challenges in access to drinking water and basic sanitation, according to recent data from the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (Pnad), from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Only 48.5% of Acre homes receive a daily water supply from the general network, a number much lower than the national average of 88.4%. This means that more than half of the state’s families still live with interruptions or lack of regular supply.
The study also draws attention to deficiencies in sewage collection and treatment. In Brazil, around 30% of households are not connected to the sewage network. The situation is even more worrying in the North Region, where 36.4% of homes depend on improvised alternatives, such as rudimentary septic tanks, ditches or direct dumping into water courses.
In Acre, the differences between the countryside and the city are discrepant; in urban areas, 78.1% of houses are connected to the sewage network; In rural areas, the rate drops to just 9.4%.
