A snow melting vehicle includes a receptacle for receiving a snow load to be melted inside the receptacle into meltwater and a debris collecting system for moving the debris fallen to the bottom of the receptacle into a collecting chamber disposed adjacent the receptacle. A debris lifting system is also provided for raising the debris from the collecting chamber to a position above the meltwater filling the collecting chamber, whereby the meltwater is substantially drained before the debris is gravity discharged outside the snow melting vehicle.