The vacuum drainage installation for buildings or the like has a soil pipe (12) extending vertically through the building. The soil pipe is connected at its upper end to a vacuum source (13) and has at its lower end a trap (14) or the like, the water column maintaining the vacuum in equilibrium. Joined to the soil pipe (12) in the individual storeys (11) are conduits (17) which are connected to sanitary devices (16) having valves which open only temporarily in order to suck collected waste water and air into the conduit.