Disclosed is a process for removing acids in a system in which aromatic hydrocarbons are separated from a mixture with aliphatic hydrocarbons. The aromatic hydrocarbons are extracted from the mixture using an extracting solvent. The aromatic hydrocarbons are stripped from the extracting solvent with steam and the steam is condensed to form water which is separated from the aromatic hydrocarbons. The separated water is passed through a basic anion exchange column and is then heated to produce the steam.