The present invention concerns a process for recovering phosphates from wastewater by adding to the wastewater at least one organic coagulant or polymer in a mechanical treatment step that leaves dissolved phosphorus in the water phase, separating a mechanical sludge from the treated wastewater, preferably by sedimentation, flotation or filtration, carrying the phosphorus-containing treated wastewater in a post-treatment step, where at least one chemical precipitant is added to precipitate the dissolved phosphate into solid phosphates, and separating the solid phosphates from the treated wastewater to recover the phosphates.
