Nutrient　removal　in　carbon　limited　wastewater　with　high　efficiency　and　energy　saving　remains　a　bottleneck　for　wastewater　treatment　plants　(WWTPs).　This　study　established　a　pilot-scale　anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic　(AOA)　system　with　processing　capacity　of　100　m3/d　for　the　first　time.　During　almost　300　days　of　stable　operation,　enhanced　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　at　a　C/N　of　5　was　achieved,　and　the　concentrations　of　total　nitrogen　(TN)　and　total　phosphorus　(TP)　in　effluent　were　3.60　±　1.55　and　0.24　±　0.13　mg/L.　Tetrasphaera　and　Candidatus　Competibacter　were　the　dominant　phosphorus　accumulating　organisms　(PAOs)　and　glycogen　accumulating　organisms　(GAOs)　in　the　AOA　system.　Moreover,　the　low　phosphorus　release　ensured　sufficient　intracellular　carbon　storage　by　endogenous　denitrification,　which　was　the　critical　factor　for　nitrogen　and　phosphorus　removal　in　carbon　limited　wastewater.　The　denitrification　phosphorus　removal　(DPR)　ability　further　removed　phosphorus　and　prevented　secondary　phosphorus　release　to　maintain　a　low　phosphorus　concentration　in　effluent.　Finally,　rapid　start-up,　high　nutrient　removal　efficiency　and　low　energy　consumption　make　the　proposed　AOA　process　suitable　for　application　in　newly　constructed　and　renovated　WWTPs.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd