<p>Water treatment residue (WTR) is a significant byproduct of drinking water production, and their disposal results in substantial land and financial waste each year, hindering sustainability. To address this issue, many studies suggest using WTR as a filler additive in various green infrastructures (GI), such as constructed wetlands and bioretention systems. However, the universal effectiveness of WTR in improving GI ecosystem services requires further investigation. This study conducted a global meta-analysis and synthesis of 184 data sets extracted from 56 peer-reviewed articles to assess the impact of adding WTR to GI. The results showed that WTR addition significantly improved the effluent water quality with reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals by 39%-55%, 77%-94%, and 29%-81%, respectively, and a 98% decrease in <i>E. coli</i> levels. WTR addition has promoted the growth of plants within GI and enhanced microbial populations in the filler, resulting in increases in total biomass and root biomass of GI vegetation by 17% and 21%, respectively, and the improvements in microbial diversity indices (Chao1 and Shannon) by 33% and 10%, respectively. Additionally, the influence of WTR on GI effluent water quality under different influent water quality and WTR dosage was explored, as well as the environmental and economic benefits of adding WTR to GI fillers were evaluated. Overall, the research results indicate that using WTR as a filler in GI not only enhances the ecosystem services of GI but also practices the concept of circular economy which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>