Gravity separation process for removing tar from water in a condensate formed by the cooling of a raw gas produced by the gasification or dry distillation of solid fuel such as coal. The tar and water condensate formed by cooling the raw gas to about 100.degree. C is enriched in a tar-water separator with ammonium carbonate to a concentration of least 5 grams NH.sub.3 per kg H.sub.2 O. The cooling can be carried out in a plurality of stages with the hotter condensate from at least one of the first cooling stages being mixed at a weight ratio of 10:1 to 1:2 with colder condensate from at least one of the succeeding cooling stages.