A conduit system for gathering water from soil includes multiple conduits configured for insertion into soil. Each conduit includes a wall having an outer surface configured to be exposed to soil and an inner surface defining a central passage. The wall includes multiple gathering pores extending through the wall. The cross-sectional area of each gathering pore decreases from the outer surface to the inner surface to promote capillary action for moving water from the soil through each gathering pore to the central passage.