NOVELTY - A process of employing granular sludge for removing chemical oxygen demand (COD) from influent wastewater and removing constituents from wastewater involves directing influent wastewater into 1st reactor (12) having granular sludge, operating reactor under anaerobic conditions, contacting influent wastewater with granular sludge to remove COD from influent wastewater, directing influent wastewater from 1st reactor to downstream treatment unit, and reducing concentration of inhibiting constituents and producing a treated effluent.    USE - Process of employing granular sludge for removing chemical oxygen demand (COD) from influent wastewater and removing constituents from wastewater used for treating influent wastewater (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - Concentration of ammonium in the reactor is reduced. Overall performance and effectiveness of anaerobic granular sludge process is improved.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A process of employing granular sludge for removing chemical oxygen demand (COD) from influent wastewater and removing constituents from wastewater involves directing influent wastewater into 1st reactor (12) having granular sludge, operating reactor under anaerobic conditions, contacting influent wastewater with granular sludge to remove COD from influent wastewater, directing influent wastewater from 1st reactor to downstream treatment unit, reducing concentration of inhibiting constituents and producing a treated effluent, and substantially reducing concentration of inhibiting constituents in influent wastewater by diluting influent wastewater with treated effluent of downstream treatment unit. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) removal of COD from ammonium containing influent wastewater via anaerobic granular sludge process and conditioning influent wastewater to reduce the adverse effects on the anaerobic granular sludge process; and    (2) treatment of influent wastewater.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic view of the anaerobic granular sludge process with clarifier downstream of aerobic carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD) removal unit.    1st reactor (12)    Solid liquid separators (16)    Internal sludge recycle line (18)    Aerobic CBOD unit (28)    Additional clarifier clarifier (32)