Adsorption has been proved to be an excellent approach for heavy metals and semimetals removal from wastewaters and polluted soils. As an easily, locally & largely available water industrial by-product, drinking water treatment residual (DWTR) has been studied as a low-cost adsorbent for heavy metals and semimetals immobilization in recent years. This opens the two-prong way of beneficial reuse of "waste" for pollution control. In line with the intensive studied in the literature, this review expected to compile an extensive profile from different studies of using DWTRs for heavy metals and semimetals removal. These include Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, Zn, Mo, V, Ga, As, Se, and B. The updated adsorption mechanisms were reviewed. A detailed survey of the literature on the application of DWTR in both wastewater treatment and polluted soil remediation is presented. The limitation and existing potential modifying methods of DWTR are discussed with authors' view of prospects on further DWTRs study.