AbstractEnhanced reductive bioremediation (ERB) of halogenated organics has become widely accepted and implemented to reduce risks to human health and the environment posed by these compounds. The family of chlorinated ethenes (e.g., trichloroethene) is among the most common contaminants treated using ERB techniques. The number of microbial species able to fully dechlorinate ethenes is small, and many times their population numbers are low. As a result, many ERB practitioners have turned to the injection of designer bacteria within treatment zones as a means to accelerate the process. Otherwise, many remediation projects encounter “cis‐stall,'' or the accumulation of the cis‐1,2‐dichloroethene and vinyl chloride intermediates. This article discusses three unique case studies where the addition of a balanced macro‐ and micro‐nutrient source substantially accelerated the chlorinated ethene ERB process, independent of the electron‐donor substrate applied. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.