In the last few years there has been increasing interest in the use of water as a reaction medium for catalysis, and therefore in designing water-soluble transition-metal catalysts. Half-sandwich (η(6)-arene)-ruthenium(ii) complexes are a versatile and well-known family of ruthenium compounds that exhibit a rich catalytic and coordination chemistry. This Perspective article focuses on the catalytic applications in aqueous media of (η(6)-arene)-ruthenium(ii) complexes containing water-soluble phosphines, and related hydrophilic P-donor ligands.