Drinking water treatment sludge based adsorptive granular chitosan bead (GCB) was prepared for removal or recovery of phosphate in aqueous solution. The phosphate adsorption capacity of the chitosan granules combined with pyrolyzed drinking water treatment residuals (PDWTS-GCB) was about 2.8 times higher than that of control (GCB without PDWTS addition). In order to assess the phosphate adsorption capability of PDWTS-GCB, the adsorption equilibrium isotherm, kinetics, and regeneration performance were rigorously evaluated. The adsorption equilibrium isotherm of phosphate on the PDWTS-GCB could be represented by Fruendlich isotherm model. The pore diffusion model was employed to determine the internal diffusion coefficient and the results was in good agreement with experimental kinetic data. Adsorption equilibrium capacities and diffusion coefficients of the phosphate increased with increasing system temperature.