In a process for the separation of the water resulting during coking in a small salt-rich fraction and a large salt-poor fraction, the crude gas, after being cooled in the condenser is directed through an electrofilter, prior to entering the primary coolers. Thereby, the condensate resulting from the condenser and the discharge of the electrofilter are united in the tar separator, while the condensate of the primary coolers is partially returned to the condenser circuit and the balance is the salt-poor fraction. Oppositely thereto, the aqueous phase of the tar separator is further treated as the salt-rich fraction. After exiting the electrofilter, the crude gas can be fractionally cooled also in several primary coolers.