Processes, methods and systems are provided herein for lowering the concentration of phosphorus in wastewater. The process includes adding a suitable amount of an aluminum-based coagulant/flocculent, for example, an aluminum-silicate coagulant/flocculent product to the wastewater while maintaining the pH of the wastewater at between about 4.5 and about 6.65. This step provides an eventual effluent stream of precipitated aluminum-based, phosphorus-containing flocs dispersed in the wastewater. The next step involves physically removing, as by filtering, the precipitated aluminum-based, phosphorus-containing flocs which is dispersed in the wastewater. These steps are able to provide a wastewater effluent containing less than about 0.03 mg total phosphorus per liter of wastewater. The disclosure also teaches novel methods and systems for carrying out the novel process.
