A process is described for the treatment of water contaminated by apolar organic compounds and/or by heavy metals, which consists in circulating the water through a system comprising at least two types of zeolites having a silica/alumina ratio >50, placed in succession, wherein the first zeolite through which the water is passed is characterized by a high absorption capacity and structural channel dimensions ranging from 7 to 50 .ANG., whereas the second is characterized by a high removal capacity of molecules with a molecular diameter comparable with structural channel dimensions ranging from 5 to 7 .ANG..