Phosphate (PO4‐P) removal from secondary sewage effluent by calcareous sand columns was proportional to the infiltration rate. Phosphate concentrations in drainage from columns, packed with a mixture of sand from recharge basins and sand never previously exposed to sewage water, were below 1 ppm for over 200 days, increased, and finally leveled off at different concentrations, depending upon the infiltration rate. The equilibrium PO4‐P concentration could be increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the infiltration rate. Evidently, PO4‐P was initially adsorbed by a reaction independent of flow velocity or retention time and, when this adsorption capacity was reached, PO4‐P was removed by a time‐dependent adsorption or precipitation reaction. The rapid response to either increases or decreases in infiltration rate suggested a precipitation reaction. The PO4‐P removal continued after application of 250 m of sewage water and 60,000 kg/ha PO4‐P during 7 years of flooding. Removal of 75–80% of the PO4‐P applied in secondary sewage effluent continued when the infiltration rate was maintained below 15 cm/day. Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) greatly increased PO4‐P concentrations in column effluent samples.