•Regenerated cylindrical photocatalytic materials based on ZnO and TiO2.•The created materials most effectively oxidize cationic organic pollutant - methylene blue.•The photocatalytic performance of the samples was tested in a solar water treatment plant of flow-through type. This article considers the possibility of obtaining regenerated photocatalytic materials of cylindrical shape for flow-through water purification systems. The method of cementation in a ceramic base matrix was compared to the method of laser fusion with a ceramic base of standard powder photocatalysts (ZnO, TiO2) according to the criteria of photocatalytic activity. The obtained materials were tested in a flow-through water purification unit (WPU) during the photo-oxidation of cationic - methylene blue (MB) and anionic - methyl orange (MO) model organic pollutants. The efficiency of water purification from MB at three cycles of regeneration of the obtained materials’ photocatalytic surface by layer-by-layer grinding was shown.