One of the potential alternatives to improve the stability coefficient for an embankment structure is to flatten the filtration curve. As a result, we obtain lower body forces triggering the potential landslide and more advantageous soil strength parameters, which counteract landslide movements. In the case of waste dumps lowering the phreatic surface of waters is achieved thanks to the construction of auxiliary drainage systems, meeting the guidelines for their safe operation. The aim of this paper is to indicate a method facilitating the determination of the actual position of the phreatic surface within the deposited sediments and the assessment of efficiency of the circumferential drainage system in the waste dump. It was decided in this study to apply cone penetration test CPTU. The CPTU made it possible to measure dissipation of excess water pressure in pores identifying drainage conditions, which were compared with the results of piezometric measurements. The results of these tests made it possible to monitor changes in the position of the depression curve of supernatant waters in dams and to determine the efficiency of the circumferential drainage system.