Municipal　solid　waste　(MSW)　landfills　in　China　generally　have　high　leachate　mounds,　which　potentially　induce　severe　geotechnical　and　environmental　issues.　In　this　study,　laboratory　model　tests　were　carried　out　to　preliminarily　investigate　the　performance　of　vertical　drainage　wells　accompanied　with　vacuum　pumping　(VDW-VP)　on　leachate　drawdown　in　MSW　landfills　with　high　leachate　levels.　Leachate　drawdown　tests　through　VDW-VP　under　conditions　with　and　without　gas　injection　were　performed.　Different　vacuum　pressures　(0　similar　to-9.5　kPa)　were　imposed　during　the　tests.　Results　indicated　that　the　leachate　pumping　processes　for　both　the　two　conditions　were　characterized　by　a　stage　of　continuous　effluent　followed　by　a　stage　of　discontinuous　effluent,　corresponding　to　the　periods　before　and　after　the　leachate　level　in　the　vertical　well　dropped　to　the　bottom,　respectively.　During　the　stage　of　continuous　effluent,　as　the　vacuum　pressure　increased,　the　effluent　rate　decreased　and　the　leachate　level　in　the　vertical　well　needed　a　longer　time　to　reach　the　bottom.　During　the　stage　of　discontinuous　effluent,　the　leachate　level　in　the　MSW　gradually　approached　that　in　the　vertical　well.　A　higher　vacuum　pressure　rendered　a　larger　cumulative　leachate　pumping　volume　for　the　condition　with　a　gas　injection,　but　this　was　not　the　case　for　the　condition　without　a　gas　injection.　In　addition,　some　local　pore　water　pressures　were　observed　to　suddenly　increase　and　drop　under　the　condition　with　the　gas　injection,　attributed　to　the　migration　of　entrapped　gas　zones.　The　increase　in　vacuum　pressure　might　promote　the　migration　of　entrapped　gas　zones　and　hence　increase　the　cumulative　leachate　pumping　volume.