As a rule of thumb the following velocities can be used in design of piping and pumping

systems for water:

Pipe Dimension

Water

inches

mm

m/s

ft/s

25

3.5

50

1.1

3.6

75

1.15

3.8

100

1.25

150

1.5

4.7

200

1.75

5.5

10

250

6.5

12

300

2.65

8.5

More about Water Systems, Pumps or Piping Systems.

Steel Pipes - Maximum Water Flow Capacities

Unfortunately no single recommendation will be correct for all possible circumstances,
but the table below can be used as a general guidance for the water flow capacity in Steel
pipes schedule 40:
Pipe Size
(inch)

Maximum Flow Velocity

(gal/min)
(ft/s)

Head Loss
(ft/100ft)

45

4.3

3.9

2 1/2

75

5.0

4.1

130

5.6

3.9

260

6.6

4.0

800

8.9

4.0

1,600

10.3

3.8

10

3,000

12.2

4.0

12

4,700

13.4

4.0

14

6,000

14.2

4.0

16

8,000

14.5

3.5

18

10,000

14.3

3.0

20

12,000

13.8

2.4

24

18,000

14.4

2.1

The maximum size saddle outlet for each size of pipe to be tapped shall be as follows:

Size pipe
to be tapped

Maximum size
Saddle Outlet

16"

8"

18"

8"

20"

10"

24" and larger

12"