Two types of inorganic polymer coagulants, polyferric chloride (PFC) and polyaluminum chloride (PAC), were chosen to treat the Yellow River water. Different dosages were investigated in order to investigate the turbidity, UV24, DOC and permanganate index removal efficiency and their coagulation mechanisms based on the Zeta potentials. The natural organic matter removal by the combination of coagulation and adsorption with powder activated carbon were analyzed based on different coagulant and adsorbent dosages and dosing orders. The effects of combination of coagulation and adsorption on the residual chlorine decay were analyzed. The results showed that the two coagulants had high turbidity removal efficiency ( > 90%). The UV254, DOC, permanganate index removal efficiency were 29.2%, 26.1% and 27.9% respectively for PAC coagulation and were 32.3%, 23.3% and 32.9% respectively for PFC. Electric neutralization played an important role in the PAC coagulation process while both adsorption bridging and electric neutralization performed when PFC was used. The removal percentage of organic matter increased with the increase coagulant and adsorbent. The adsorption after coagulation process gave the better UV254 and DOC removal efficiency than the coagulation after adsorption. The UV254 and DOC removal efficiency were 95.2% and 99.9% for PAC coagulation after adsorption and were 90.1% and 99.9% for PFC coagulation first. But adding powder activated carbon can improve floc settlement performance and maintained persistent disinfection effect.