Pipe Sizing for Sanitary Pipework

Pipe sizes and their gradients for connecting wastes from appliances to single stack soil
vent pipes are set out in BS 5572 to suit the type of appliance (eg WC, wash basin, bath,
etc) and their distance from the stack (the vertical collecting pipe that connects to the
underground drain). The size of pipe does not generally need calculating except in multi-
storey or complex situations with numerous fittings. In these cases the appropriate size of
pipe is worked out using discharge units. Each type of appliance is given a value of
discharge units depending on its situation whether domestic, commercial or congested (such
as schools). The number of discharge units connecting to a particular stack or horizontal
drain are totalled and compared to the Tables 2 or 3 below to determine the appropriate
pipe size.
Sanitary appliance Domestic use Commercial use Congested use

6-litre low level WC 6 11 23

Sink 7 13 26

Wash basin 1 3 5
Bath 7 17 17

Washing machine 3 18 18

Discharge Units

Internal bore Maximum Internal

Gradient
(mm) discharge units bore (mm)
1 in 111 1 in 45 1 in 22
50 10
32 - 1 1
65 60 40 - 2 8
75 200 50 - 10 26
65 - 35 95
Task 90 350 75 - 100 230
Find the
100 diameter and
750gradient of a drain for a school
90 with120 24 WCs,
230 26 460
washbasins, 4 sinks2500 100if they 230
and 1 washing machine. Also, 430 to one
all connect 1050
125
125 780 1500 3000
stack, what size should this be?
150 5500 150 2000 3500 7500

Table 1 Table 2
Maximum number of discharge units Maximum number of discharge units
for vertical stacks for horizontal pipes and drains