Abstract: A system for receiving an effluent stream of liquids and gases from a vacuum extraction system is disclosed. The system uses the water separated from the effluent stream by a knock out pot to cool recirculating water, provide seal water and/or provide make up water to a liquid ring vacuum pump that provides the suction for vacuum extraction. In a preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger uses cool water from a knock out pot to condense vapors and uses the warm water exiting the liquid ring vacuum pump to reheat the vapor stream, raising its temperature and thus lowering its relative humidity, resulting in more efficient contaminant removal by vapor treatment systems. The knock out pot also preferably includes a free contaminant recovery system that collects and transfers liquid contaminants that separate from the water collected in the knock out pot due to a difference between the contaminant density and the density of water.