The potential application of water hyacinth ash as adsorbent is explored in the present study. The adsorption capacity of water hyacinth ash on selected dyes like methylene blue, carmine red and industrial effluent are studied. Adsorption studies of water hyacinth (0.5g) was carried out with methylene blue solutions of concentrations varying from 0.1 μM to 100 μM. The results of this study indicate that 0.5 g water hyacinth ash is sufficient to adsorb almost 100% methylene blue from 5 μM solution. Adsorption studies of water hyacinth (0.5g) was carried out with carmine red solutions of concentrations varying from 10 μM to 100 μM and it was observed that the ash adsorbed 93% carmine red from 75 μM solution. The adsorption study with industrial effluent shows that water hyacinth ash is capable of adsorbing about 90% of the colouring matter from the effluent.