Removal of color from paper mill waste waters

A process for removing color from cellulose paper pulp waste water wherein color bodies are present due to chemical reaction on or degradation of lignin which consists essentially of adjusting the pH of said waste water to a pH within the range of 2 to 5 and mixing with the resultant waste water a compound from the group consisting of alkylated and acylated amines, quaternized forms of such alkylated and acylated amines, and mixtures thereof, said compound containing at least 4 carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon group linked directly to nitrogen or linked to nitrogen through a carbonyl group and being effective to combine with said color bodies to form solids which can be separated from said waste water, the amount of said compound being within the range of 20 ppm to 2000 ppm of said waste water, and separating the resultant solids.