Flower-like and plate-like CuO nanopowder has been successfully synthesized using a facile microwave-assisted synthetic route. The morphology and size of the final products strongly depended on microwave power. The phase, structures and morphologies of the as-prepared products were investigated in detail by BET surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the chemical oxygen demand of polluted lake water was employed for characterization of these new photocatalysts. The results showed correlations between the morphology of CuO micro-crystals and their catalytic properties.