This study describes a laboratory-scale continuous-flow bipolar mode electrocoagulation (CBME) unit that was developed as a downstream process unit for polishing an anaerobically treated palm oil mill effluent (POME). The design of the CBME reactor has the advantage of achieving good treatment efficiency with lesser energy consumption when compared to monopolar electrocoagulation systems. The process optimization was carried out for maximum removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and total phosphorus (TP) using response surface methodology (RSM). The independent process variables selected are initial pH, retention time (RT), reaction area (RA), and current density (CD). The optimum condition was achieved when pH was set at 6.4, retention time at 7.7 min, reaction (electrode) area at 765 cm2, and current density at 77.8 A/m2. Under this condition, 77% and 73% of TOC and TP removals were observed, respectively. The ratio of the total surface area of electrodes to the volume of the reactor was found to be 76.5 m-1 at the optimum operating condition. The energy consumption at the optimum point was 22.4 kW·h/m3 of wastewater treated. Micropollutants were screened for the organic constituents present before and after the treatment using high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). © 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.