Many techniques have been developed for water purification and pollutant removal. Carbon is used extensively for water treatment applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), by their shape and size, have tremendous properties and applications in many fields. These nanomaterials are very effective and efficient for water purification applications. These heavy metals in water may lead to various health issues and diseases. CNTs in the recent past have emerged as highly promising materials for the heavy metal removal of heavy metals such as Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cr, from the water. Very high surface-to-volume ratio, large Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, and large pore size of CNTs favor the adsorption of these heavy metals and thus purify the water from these impurities. Carbon-based membranes also serve the purpose of water treatment. The current chapter describes the role of carbon-based materials in water treatment, the challenges to progress, and the future of these carbon-based materials in this field.