Stichting Connect International

Many wells in Africa dry up at the end of the dry season, because more water is taken out than is coming in by natural recharge. Problems with recharge are: compact topsoil layers, loss of vegetation, increasing erosion, etc.
There are many ways to increase the recharge of groundwater such as underground and above ground dams, planting trees or Vitiver grass that have long roots. Another option is artificial recharge such as “Tube Recharge”. This is a new low cost option to recharge groundwater aquifers by means of plastic tubes, protruding through the impermeable layers, making direct connection with the aquifers possible. Rain water that would otherwise run off to rivers (on sloped terrains) is caught in contained holes (dug out or dams) provided with a recharge tube.
The manual provides details on how tube recharge functions and how it can successfully be implemented.