Water System Sizing Worksheet

Joe Agricola Example

 This example is provided to help you size the pump, pressure tank, and water distribution piping for your dugout water system. It contains a written expla-
nation of the process and completed worksheets for the Joe Agricola farm. A blank Water System Sizing Worksheet is provided in the pocket inside the back
cover to assist you with this task.

In the Dugout Sizing Example found in the front pocket of the manual, we learned that Joe Agricola
required dugout water for his 200 head of beef cattle, chemical spraying, plus yard use and garden irrigation. He also wants to size the dugout
water system to provide fire protection, and act as a back-up supply for his hog
operation should one of his wells or well pumps fail.

Beginning with Step 1, Joe lists all the water system fixtures he plans to supply from the dugout.

In Step 2, Joe considers the following to determine the required pump size and flow rate:

• What water uses are likely to occur at the same time? Most likely cattle and hog watering (10 + 10 = 20 Imperial gpm).
• He also wants to be able to fill a 1,000 gallon tank for chemical spraying in a hour (1,000 gallons ÷ 60 minutes = 17 Imperial gpm).
• The pump capacity must be at least equal to the peak use of the fixtures that use the largest amount of water.

Joe decides on 20 Imperial gallons per minute to meet the above considerations, and in Step 3, completes the conversion of 20 Imperial
gpm to 24 U.S. gpm. This is necessary because most pumps available in Canada are sized in U.S. gpm.

To complete Step 4, Joe contacts a reputable, pump supplier, and is asked how much lift there is from the dugout to the farmyard and what
pressure he requires from the water system. Joe informs him that the lift or elevation is 21 feet (lift = the dugout depth + farmyard elevation above
the dugout). The dugout depth + 10 feet of additional elevation to the farmstead totals 31 feet. Joe also advises that the water system will operate
between 30 and 50 psi, and so the average pressure required is 40 psi.

The pump supplier advises him that a one horsepower, submersible pump will do the job.

The purpose of Step 5 is to size the pressure tank. As indicated in Step 2, Joe has determined that he needs a pump capable of deliver-
ing 24 U.S. gpm. When selecting a pressure tank, the rule of thumb is to have a tank with at least one gallon of drawdown, between high and low
pressure, for every one gpm of pump capacity. Joe needs a pressure tank that has a least 24 U.S. gallons of drawdown to match his 24 U.S. gpm
pump. He also opts for a tank with the recommended sealed diaphragm so he does not have to routinely add air to the tank. Such tanks produce
only 1/3 of their capacity as available water. This means that his tank must be at least three times the available water or drawdown between high
and low pressure, or 3 x 24 = 72 U.S. gallons or larger.

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 Joe has decided to locate the pressure tank in a pump house beside the dugout. To determine the length of the supply pipeline in Step 6,
Joe measures the distance of the dugout pump house to the center of the distribution system and finds that it is 1,000 feet.

In Step 7, Joe finds the 1,000 foot distance and his pump capacity of 24 U.S. gpm in the Pipe Diameter table, and determines that a 2 inch
size pipeline will be required. He chooses pipe that is CSA approved with a 75 psi pressure rating.

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 Water System Sizing Worksheet
This worksheet can be used to determine the size of pump, pressure tank, and water pipe required for a farm water system. Dugouts, unlike most water
wells, have a huge reservoir of water, and can be pumped at much higher flow rates. Therefore, it is important to properly size dugout pumps and
pipelines to take full advantage of the dugout.

Enter all information calculated step by step in the recording section below as follows:
Step 1 Water System Fixtures
Step 2 Required Pump Flow Rate 20
____________ gallons per minute
Step 3 Conversion to U.S. Gallons 24
____________ U.S. gallons per minute
Step 4 Pump Selection
Lift 31
____________ feet
Pressure needed 40
____________ psi
Pump horsepower required 1.0
____________ hp Submersible
other specifications_________________________
Step 5 Pressure Tank Size 72
____________ U.S. gallons 24 U.S. gallons drawdown,
other specifications ________________________
Step 6 Length of Supply Pipeline 1,000
____________ feet sealed diaphragm
Step 7 Pipe Size 2
____________ inches CSA approved, 75 psi rating
other specifications __________________________

STEPS TO SIZING YOUR WATER SYSTEM

Step 1 Calculate the peak water use rates in gallons per minute (gpm) for all of the existing and proposed water system fixtures.

2 10
10 10

1 5

1 10
Chemical spraying outlet 1 17 17

Step 2 To determine the Required Pump Flow Rate you need to consider which water uses, listed in Step 1, will likely occur at the same time and total those
together. Note: The minimum design flow rate of the system must exceed the peak use rate of the fixture(s) that use the largest amount of water.

20

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Step 3 Convert the Required Pump Flow Rate from Step 2 into U.S. gallons because practically all pumps available in Canada are rated in U.S. gpm.

20 24

Step 4 To select a pump you need to determine the lift and pressure. It is recommended that you take this information plus the Converted Pump Flow Rate
from Step 3, to a reputable pump dealer or a water specialist for correct pump selection. They will recommend the required pump horsepower and
other specifications.

21 31
10 40
1.0

Step 5 Sizing a pressure tank is based on the Converted Pump Flow Rate and the amount of useable water volume or drawdown. The drawdown is the
amount of water that can be withdrawn from the pressure tank between high and low pressure settings. For dugouts, the sealed diaphragm or bladder
type tanks are the best choice. In these types of tanks only 1/3 of the volume of the tank is available as drawdown. Therefore, the Pressure Tank Size
must be 3 times the drawdown and match the gpm rating (flow rate) of the pump. For example, a 10 gpm pump requires 10 gallons of drawdown or
a 30 gallon tank size.

24 72

Step 6 Measure the distance from the dugout to the center of the distributing system. Pipe Diameter (inches)
1,000

Step 7 To determine the Required Pipe Size match the pump flow rate from Step 3, in the
left column of the adjacent table, with the length of the supply line from Step 6.

Note: The minimum pipe size recommended for farmyard water distribution
systems is 1¼ inches. This will reduce friction losses in the pipe and allow for
future expansion that was unforeseen.

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