Abstract: A process for the treatment of waste waters containing chemically reducible dissolved organic and inorganic pollutants and suspended mater in particulate or colloidal form. The process comprises of contacting the water with metallic iron or ferrous ions (Fe2+), or mixtures thereof, in the presence of promoter metals, such as Cu, Pd, Pt, Au, Ag, and Ni, or oxides, sulfides and other insoluble compounds of these meals, which catalyze the redox reductions carried out by the iron or ferrous reagents. The production of ferric ions (Fe3+) as a final iron oxidation product allows for the simultaneous coagulation and precipitation of suspended colloidal and particulate solids out of the aqueous phase. In addition to the main reductive reaction scheme, the system performs a multitude of secondary reactions involving the ferrous and ferric ions produced in-situ which allows for the simultaneous removal of specific target pollutants, such as phosphate and hydrogen sulfide.