Water distribution system for a gasification reactor for carrying out a slag-forming entrained-flow process in which the evolving synthesis gas flows downwardly during the gasification reaction, the gasification reactor comprising • a first reaction chamber arranged at the top in the reactor, in the upper region of which a feeding device for feedstock material is arranged, and the side walls of which are provided with tubes with internal cooling as a membrane wall or with tube coils from which liquid slag can freely flow away without the surface of this slag thereby solidifying, and at the underside of which an opening with a drip-off edge is provided, • a second chamber, in which the synthesis gas is kept dry and is cooled by radiation cooling, adjoining the opening at the bottom, and a water distribution system for producing a funnel-shaped water curtain being provided, • a third chamber adjoining the second chamber at the bottom, and a discharge device for synthesis gas from the reactor being provided at the bottom or on the side of the third chamber, characterized in that a concentric annular distributor is provided in combination with an axially symmetrical, cross-sectionally concavely curved deflection surface as a water distribution system for forming the water curtain, wherein • the annular distributor has at least one water inflow, • the annular distributor has openings which are configured suitably for the water to leave in the form of a jet, • the direction of the jet from the openings points to the inside of the concavely curved deflection surface, • in the direction of the jet from the openings, the planar alignment of the concavely curved surface is manifested such that the direction of the jet and the tangential plane of the cross-sectional area are aligned with each other at the point of impingement of the jet at an acute angle of between 0 and 45 degrees, and • the deflection surface is curved in cross section to such an extent that it has a deflection angle (BETA) of more than 60 degrees. • a first reaction chamber arranged at the top in the reactor, in the upper region of which a feeding device for feedstock material is arranged, and the side walls of which are provided with tubes with internal cooling as a membrane wall or with tube coils from which liquid slag can freely flow away without the surface of this slag thereby solidifying, and at the underside of which an opening with a drip-off edge is provided, • a second chamber, in which the synthesis gas is kept dry and is cooled by radiation cooling, adjoining the opening at the bottom, and a water distribution system for producing a funnel-shaped water curtain being provided, • a third chamber adjoining the second chamber at the bottom, and a discharge device for synthesis gas from the reactor being provided at the bottom or on the side of the third chamber, • the annular distributor has at least one water inflow, • the annular distributor has openings which are configured suitably for the water to leave in the form of a jet, • the direction of the jet from the openings points to the inside of the concavely curved deflection surface, • in the direction of the jet from the openings, the planar alignment of the concavely curved surface is manifested such that the direction of the jet and the tangential plane of the cross-sectional area are aligned with each other at the point of impingement of the jet at an acute angle of between 0 and 45 degrees, and • the deflection surface is curved in cross section to such an extent that it has a deflection angle (BETA) of more than 60 degrees.