SIZING OF WATER SUPPLY PIPES FOR BUILDINGS OR RESIDENTIAL

HOUSES
• There must be sufficient pressure at the fixtures to assure the user of a prompt
and adequate flow of water.

The pressure losses in an up feed system served by street main pressure as follows.
For A below, use the highest, most remote fixture from the main.
Minimum fixture flow pressure ----------- A
Pressure because of height --------------- +B
Pressure lost by friction in piping ------------- +C
Pressure lost by flow through meter -------- +D
Total street main pressure =E

In a design Items A, B, and E are known and are reasonably constant. The value
of A can be found in table 10.14, Street main pressure, E, is a characteristic of a local

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water supply, and is obtained from the water utility. Item B, the pressure lost due to
height, can be found by multiplying the height in feet by 0.433(height in meters by
10), Item D, the pressure lost in flow through the water meter, depends on flow and
pipe size, figure 10.63.
For resistances and small commercial buildings, meter size rarely exceeds 2 in.
(50mm).
Figure 10.63(a) (Determine the flow of water in GPM, intersect it with the size of
flowmeter, from the point of intersection, draw a line to the left till you can read the
corresponding pressure loss)

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Figure : 10.63(b) ( Use this table if flow is in Liters/sec)

C = E - A – B – D,

Pressure Lost by friction = Total pressure at the supply/Street main –Minimum fixture
flow pressure – Pressure due to height – Pressure lost due to the water meter

Pipe size is based on Figure 10.64. Pipe diameter is determined by the point of
intersection of a horizontal line representing flow and a vertical line expressing
friction loss. To select a pipe size, one needs to know the probable flow and the unit
friction loss in the pipe and fittings. Also the noise created by water flow must be
considered. Above 10 fps (3.1m/sec) is usually too noisy; above 6 fps(1.8m/s) may be
too noisy in acoustical-critical locations.
Flow can be found for any pipe by first listing all fixtures to be served by the pipe,
assigning them water supply fixture units(wsfu, listed in the table below)

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The following tables will be used to determine the corresponding flow in gallons per
minute or liters/sec based on the calculated water supply fixture units.

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Note: The x-axis is the calculated total wsfu
Curve 1 is for a system of predominantly flush valves
Curve 2 is for a system predominantly flush tanks

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Example: Using the following data; some of which have arrived at by the assumptions
referred to above. Find the water size for a metered water supply main.
Street main pressure (minimum) --- 50 psi
Height, top most fixture above main -- 30 feet
Top most fixture type --------- water closet with flash valve (1.6 gal/flush)
Fixture units in the system ------ 85 wsfu
Developed length (DL) of the piping to the
Highest and most remote fixture ------ 100 ft
Pipe length equivalent to fittings 50 feet( commonly estimated at 50% of DL)
System uses predominantly -------- Flush valves

Solution:
From the minimum street main pressure, subtract the sum of the fixture pressure,
the static head, and the pressure lost in meter. This sum is
psi
A --- Fixture pressure (Table 10.14) 15
B --- Static head , 30 feet x 0.433 psi/ft 13
D --- Pressure loss n meter ( estimated fig. 10.63) 8
Sub total 36
E ---- Pressure in the street main 50 psi
E – (A + B + D) -36.0
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The pressure loss in 100 feet (DL) of piping plus the 50 feet of piping equivalent to the
pressure lost by friction in the fittings therefore can total 14 psi. Total equivalent
length(TEL) is 150 feet. This procedure assures 15 psi at the critical fixture. The unit
friction loss, psi/100 ft of pipe, will be
14 psi x 100/150 TEL = 9.33 psi/100 ft
From Fig. 10.65a, curve 1, a flush valve system with 85 wsfu will have a probable flow
(demand) of about 64 gpm and vertically at 9.3 psi/100 feet. At the intersection of
these lines, the pipe diameter and velocity are determined, between 11/2 in and 2 in.
diameter pipe.

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Velocity = 8 fps ( less than 10 fps, so ok)
Therefore, a 2 in. diameter supply pipe will be chosen, with a 2in. meter.
Now find the actual pressure loss in the 2 in. pipe diameter for aa flow of 64 gpm.
Figure 10.63a shows that this is about 4 psi. Because this is less than 8 psi estimated,
the pressure at the fixture will be slightly higher than the minimum needed. When a
final system layout is made, the fittings are tabulated and the length in piping
equivalent to fittings is found. It differs greatly from the 50 feet estimated, a
recalculation is made.

Example no. 2
Building A ( Pressure available at the supply line is 14.6 psi)
A. Fixtures to be served
3 water closets 4 lavatory
6 urinals
B. Assigning them water supply fixture units as taken from the table
3 water closet X 5 water supply fixture units = 15 WSFU
6 urinals X 3 water supply fixture units = 18 WSFU
4 Lavatory X 2 water supply fixture units = 8 WSFU
41 WSFU

C. Converting this supply fixture units using Figure 10.65

Estimate curves for flow, based on total WSFU (water supply fixture units). Curve 1 is
for system of predominantly flashed valves. Curve 2 is for a system of predominantly
flash tanks.

Based from actual survey, most of the fixtures uses flash tanks.

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Using curve for predominantly flash tanks,
gallons⁄
Demand = 25 min

D. Determining the friction loss per 100 ft. (Pc⁄100 ft)

PA = minimum pressure = 8 psi ( from table of fixture pressures)

= Pressure needed of the most remote fixture
PB = pressure due to elevation(most remote fixture, not elevated)
= 0 (not elevated)
PC = friction loss in psi
PD = pressure available at the supply line
= 14.6 psi (given)
𝑷𝑫 = 𝑷𝑨 + 𝑷𝑩 + 𝑷𝑪
Thus,
PC = 14.6 − 8 = 6.6 psi
PC
= PC x 100 ft⁄Total Equivalent Length of pipe
100 ft

E. Determine the size of pipe by intersecting

gal⁄
Demand = 25 min and the
PC⁄
100 ft = 5.59 psi

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In fig. 10.64, P.659 as shown:
Fig. 10.64 Flowchart for smooth pipe. Velocity is shown, as an aid in noise control;
above 10 fps (3m/s), moving water can be clearly heard within pipes. The point of
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intersection reads, size of pipe is 1 in with a velocity in between 6 to 7 ft/s < 10 ft/s
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is okay

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 1
Determining the actual friction loss based on the size of pipe selected, 1 in so that
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the approximate actual pressure in the fixture can be calculated.
From MRII Table,
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The friction loss per 100 ft. of pipe for 1 in pipe size and 25 gal/min demand
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= 16.6 ft⁄100ft (0.7 for new pipes) x Total Equivalent Length

Plan of installation:

Developed length = (10 +14) m. x 3.28 ft⁄m = 78.72 ft

Equivalent Length of valves and fittings:
1
1 pc gate valve (1 4
in) ------------------------ 0.8 ft.

4 pcs couplings (4x1.2) -------------------------- 4.8 ft.

1 pc standard tee 90° ---------------------------- 6 ft.
2 pcs 90° standard elbow (2x4) ---------------- 8 ft.
19.6 ft.
TEL = 78.72 ft. +19.6 ft. = 98.32 ft.

Thus,
𝟏𝟔.𝟔 𝒇𝒕.
Friction Head Loss = × (𝟎. 𝟕)(𝟗𝟖. 𝟑𝟐 𝒇𝒕. )
𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒇𝒕.

= 11.425 ft.
𝟎.𝟒𝟑𝟑 𝒑𝒔𝒊
Frictional Pressure Drop = 11.425 ft. × 𝒇𝒕.

= 4.95 psi
The actual pressure to the fixture is higher than the minimum,
P = 8 psi + [6.6 − 4.95 𝑝𝑠𝑖 ]
fixture

= 9.65 psi ( actual pressure of the farthest/most remote fixture

which is higher than needed, that means size is ok)
Note: Designing shall be based on the most remote fixture

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