Recharge well
Stepwells & groundwater recharge
Born in Western & North India.
How it works
Stepwells and open wells both store water and let it percolate to recharge the aquifer; they were community-maintained social hubs as well as utilities.
In a modern home
Recharge pits / wells, permeable paving, percolation landscaping to refill local groundwater.
What it answers
Source
Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narain (eds.), Dying Wisdom (CSE, 1997), on stepwells and groundwater recharge.
Follow the threads
Water-harvesting structuresshares no recharge, water scarcity, harvest & manage water→Stepwellshares water scarcity, no recharge, water→Greywater soak pitshares waterlogging, no recharge, water→Rooftop rainwater harvestingshares water scarcity, harvest & manage water, water→Qanat-fed windcatchershares water scarcity, water, hot & dry→Stilt / raised house (flood)shares waterlogging, resilience→