In this article, the methods for selecting the size of a pipe designed to flow full are presented. The circumstances in which friction losses are significant and the flow in the pipe is known, such as in a branched system, are discussed. Given the design flow for a pipe, the correct way to select optimal pipe size is to perform a detailed design of the pipe and appurtenances for a number of pipe sizes and select the least costly. The most important variables in selecting pipe size are peak flow, average flow, and the relative price of energy and construction. Includes 6 references, figures.