Wastewater treatment using laboratory scale waste stabilisation ponds enriched with activated sludge was studied. After enrichment, the efficiency of these ponds under high organic loading rates (i.e., up to 2800 kg COD ha(-1) day(-1)) reached a maximum COD removal rate of 970 kg COD ha(-1) day(-1), which is from 2 to 10 times more than commonly reported values, and suggests that enrichment is an effective method to improve stabilisation ponds.