Access to clean water is a luxury for inhabitants of rural regions in developing nations. The scattered distribution of households poses challenges for the centralized treatment of potable water. Solar disinfection (SODIS) is a well-established method for purifying drinking water in remote, peri-urban, and rural areas with tropical or subtropical climates. This study highlighted the solar disinfection mechanism and factors that affect its efficiency. We also explore unconventional water disinfection techniques that utilize photosensitizers and photocatalysts based on solar radiation. Research has shown that these chemical additives can significantly enhance the rate of pathogen elimination and decrease exposure time by increasing phototoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, this review addresses the obstacles faced in implementing solar water disinfection in rural areas and the potential solutions to overcome these problems.