An immersion liquid confinement apparatus confines an immersion liquid in an immersion area that includes a gap between a projection system and an object of exposure in an immersion lithography system. The apparatus also recovers the immersion liquid from the immersion area. The apparatus includes a confinement member and first and second liquid-permeable members. The confinement member includes an outlet and an aperture through which a patterned image is projected onto the object. The first liquid-permeable member covers the outlet and has a first surface that faces the object and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface contacting a first chamber. The second liquid-permeable member has first and second oppositely-facing surfaces, the first surface of the second liquid-permeable member contacts the first chamber, the second surface of the second liquid-permeable member contacts a second chamber that is different from the first chamber.