Bacterial strains were isolated from wastewater contaminated sites, which had the ability to utilize higher concentration of phenol of 1000 mg/L as carbon and energy source at neutral pH under aerobic conditions. Phenol degrading strains were isolated by employing enrichment culture technique a basal salt (BS) medium supplemented with different phenol concentrations as a sole carbon source. The results showed that some of the strains could use phenol as sole carbon source at very higher concentration. Several strains were isolated of which only six strains were able to tolerate very high concentration of phenol. The isolates were Pseudomonas cepacia, P. fluorescens, Pseudomonas sp., P. stutzeri and P. putida. The strains had additional abilities to degrade catechol and resorcinol. Of the six strains Pseudomonas putida was able to degrade phenol (1000mg/L) individually up to 89%.