Three parallel units of pilot-scale constructed wetlands (CWs), i.e., vertical subsurface flow (VSF), horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) and free water surface flow (FWS) wetland were experimented to assess their capabilities in purifying eutrophic water of Taihu Lake, China. Lake water was continuously pumped into the CWs at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.64 m d(-1) for each treatment. One year's performance displayed that average removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) were 17-40%, 23-46%, 34-65%, 20-52% and 35-66%, respectively. The VSF and HSF showed statistically similar high potential for nutrients removal except NH4+-N, with the former being 14% higher than that of the latter. However, the FWS wetland showed the least effect compared to the VSF and HSF at the high hydraulic loading rate. Mean effluent TP concentrations in VSF (0.056 mg L-1) and HSF (0.052 mg L-1) nearly reached Grade III (<= 0.05 mg L-1 for lakes and reserviors) water quality standard of China. Wetland plants (Typha angustifolia) grew well in the three CWs. We noted that plant uptake and storage were both important factors responsible for nitrogen and phosphorous removal in the three CWs. However, harvesting of the above ground biomass contributed 20% N and 57% P of the total N and P removed in FWS wetland, whereas it accounted for only 5% and 7% N, and 14% and 17% P of the total N and P removed in VSF and HSF CWs, respectively. Our findings suggest that the constructed wetlands could well treat the eutrophic lake waters in Taihu. If land limiting is considered, VSF and HSF are more appropriate than FWS under higher hydraulic loading rate. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.