People living in a low-income country are far more likely to die of a communicable disease than a noncommunicable disease. Despite the global decline, six of the top 10 causes of death in low-income countries are communicable diseases. Diarrheal diseases are more significant as a cause of death in low-income countries: they rank in the top 5 causes of death for this income category. Nonetheless, diarrheal diseases are decreasing in low-income countries, representing the second biggest decrease in fatalities among the top 10 (231 000 fewer deaths). Water and sanitation interventions to reduce these incidences include water provision and sanitization and the most common processes used require the use of fossil fuels – critical when providing safe, usable water in locations around the world where water poverty is an ongoing situation.