Many environmental and health problems come from the presence of metals in surface water. Effectiveness of a new commercial tannin-based flocculant has been tested in order to remove Zn2+, Ni2+ and Cu2+ by coagulation-flocculation process. pH has been adjusted in order to evaluate the real heavy metal removal due just to flocculant effect and not to hydroxide precipitation. At least a 75% of metal removal has been reported in every case, depending on pH value. Flocculant doses have been reported to be about 100-150 ppm. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.