In　order　to　know　the　phosphorus　and　nitrogen　removal　characteristics　of　an　enhanced　biological　phosphorus　removal　(EBPR)　system　when　dealing　with　domestic　sewage,　the　EBPR　system,　which　was　inoculated　with　activated　sludge　in　a　SBR,　was　fast　started　up　by　gradually　increasing　the　influent　COD(chemical　oxygen　demand)　concentration,　combined　with　short　sludge　retention　time　control.　The　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　characteristics　of　the　EBPR　after　being　started　up　were　also　studied.　Experimental　results　showed　that　when　the　influent　COD　concentration　is　gradually　increased　from　about　200　mg/L　to　about　500　mg/L,　the　EBPR　system　could　be　started　up　in　29　d.　The　effluent　PO43--P　concentration　remaines　below　0.5　mg/L　in　the　following　30　d,　and　the　average　phosphorus　removal　efficiency　reaches　99.4%.　Additionally,　this　system　can　be　efficiently　and　stably　used　for　long　to　deal　with　high　phosphorus　wastewater　(containing　PO43--P　of　40　mg/L).　After　the　successful　start-up　of　the　EBPR　system,　phosphorous　accumulating　organisms　(PAOs)　become　the　dominant　bacteria　which　accountes　for　34%±3%　of　total　biomass.　However,　these　also　exist　nitrifying　and　denitrifying　bacteria,　and　glycogen　accumulating　organisms　(GAOs)　as　well.　Moreover,　during　the　stable　operation　phase　of　the　EBPR　system,　simultaneous　nitrification　and　denitrification　(SND)　are　detected　at　the　aerobic　stage,　coupling　with　the　phosphorous　uptake　process　of　PAOs.　The　SND　process　leads　to　an　average　total　inorganic　nitrogen　loss　(TIN)　of　7.6　mg/L　and　a　total　nitrogen　(TN)　removal　efficiency　of　about　70%.　Phosphorus　removal　coupling　with　SND　within　the　EBPR　system　can　achieve　the　nitrogen　and　phosphorous　removal　in　wastewater　treatment.　©,　2014,　Dongnan　Daxue　Xuebao　(Ziran　Kexue　Ban)/Journal　of　Southeast　University　(Natural　Science　Edition).　All　right　reserved.