High concentrations of phosphorus have prompted the use of phosphorus free detergents in an attempt to lower the quantity of that substance in domestic wastewaters. Various methods for handling this problem are delineated by the authors and examinations of the costs involved are presented. The dosage of lime required for phosphorus removal is independent of the phosphorus concentration in the sewage. Since the phosphorus removal mechanism depends on pH, the dosage is actually a function of alkalinity.