Holes apt to be wet at the bottom (5)
I believe the answer is:
wells
'holes' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for wells that I've seen before include "H.G. - - , writer" , "H. G. . . . . ., science-fiction writer" , "Cathedral city; sci-fi writer" , "Flows upward; small city" , "Somerset cathedral city" .)