The technical and economic feasibility of removing inorganic trace elements from coal-fired power plant wastestreams by adsorption/coprecipitation with amorphous iron oxyhydroxide has been evaluated. Due to their presence in coal, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, and lead are often at elevated concentrations in ash pond waters. Trace element removal from ash pond effluents from five power plants was evaluated experimentally. This process can achieve more than ninety percent removal of several trace elements at projected costs well below other competitive processes.