Aluminium electrodes are being investigated for use in electrocoagulation processes to treat natural surface waters. During potentiostatic electrochemical dissolution of aluminium in neutral conditions, a passive layer of aluminium oxide and hydroxide rapidly forms, causing dissolution current densities to decay to zero. However, experiments showed that 'rough' aluminium electrodes initially passivate but then spontaneously depassivate, allowing continued dissolution. Results from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and finite element modeling of an electrocoagulation reactor suggest this is due to local pH values near the anode of around 5, preventing passivation even at neutral bulk pH.