A system including a gasifier that may remove black water and includes a reactor and a quench chamber disposed downstream of the reactor. The quench chamber may cool a syngas generated in the reactor. The system also includes a syngas treatment system that may supply the gasifier with a first portion of a quench liquid via a first inlet and a second portion of the quench liquid via a second inlet; a lock hopper that may receive gasification by-products generated in the reactor and supply a third portion of the quench liquid to the gasifier via a third inlet, and a deaerator coupled to the syngas treatment system and the lock hopper. The deaerator may depressurize the lock hopper.