How Do You Choose the Right Agriculture Irrigation Pipe for a West Texas Farm?

The right agriculture irrigation pipe comes down to three decisions: pressure class, pipe type (underground mainline, UV pivot, or well shroud), and the standard size that fits your system’s flow requirements. In West Texas, where water management is one of the biggest factors in crop production, getting those choices right from the start can help farmers reduce leaks, maintain flow, and make better use of available water.

At Western Ag, we manufacture PVC pipe in Plainview for farms, contractors, and irrigation projects across Lubbock and the surrounding region. Here is how to think through underground irrigation pipe, UV pivot pipe, well shroud, and pressure class before choosing pipe for your agricultural irrigation system.

Why Irrigation Pipe Selection Is Especially Important in West Texas

In West Texas, irrigation decisions are closely tied to water availability, well capacity, and long-term efficiency. Texas A&M AgriLife notes that many High Plains producers are adapting to declining Ogallala Aquifer levels by making more strategic decisions about crop selection and irrigation use. For farmers, that means every part of the system needs to work efficiently, including the pipe moving water across the field.

Choosing the right agriculture irrigation pipe helps support consistent water delivery while reducing avoidable problems like leaks, pressure loss, and undersized flow capacity. The right pipe cannot create more water, but it can help farmers make better use of the water they already have.

Understanding PVC Pressure Classes for Agriculture Irrigation Pipe

Western Ag manufactures agricultural PVC pipe to ASTM D2241 specifications using the SDR (Standard Dimension Ratio) system and rates pipe by pressure class rather than schedule number. Our underground irrigation pipe is available in four pressure classes:

• 50# (50 psi working pressure): Suited for lower-pressure applications
• 80# (80 psi working pressure): Used for many irrigation applications with moderate pressure requirements
• 100# (100 psi working pressure): Appropriate when the system requires additional pressure capacity
• 125# (125 psi working pressure): For applications with higher pressure demands, based on system design

Western Ag manufactures agricultural PVC pipe with quality and dependability in mind, following applicable standards for pressure-rated PVC pipe. If you are unsure which pressure class fits your system, give our team a call. We can help you talk through your pump output, pipe diameter, run length, and field conditions so you can choose the right pipe for the job.

Standard Irrigation Pipe Sizes and Lengths

Our underground irrigation pipe is available in a range of diameters and comes in 20-foot, 25-foot, and 40-foot lengths depending on the pressure class. Longer lengths mean fewer joints per run, which reduces both installation labor and the number of potential leak points across the system. The choice of length is often driven by field conditions, since longer joints are harder to handle in confined trenches but cover ground faster on open runs.

Matching diameter to flow requirements helps reduce friction loss, maintain pressure, and keep irrigation systems operating efficiently across long runs.

Underground Irrigation Pipe vs. UV Pivot Pipe: Which Do You Need?

Underground mainline pipe and UV pivot pipe are designed for different roles in the same system.

Underground Irrigation Pipe

This is the buried mainline that carries water from the pump to distribution points across the field. Once it is in the ground, UV exposure is not a factor. What matters here is pressure rating, joint integrity, and resistance to the loads imposed by burial depth and soil movement. Our gasket pocket (GP) and belled end (BE) pipe use push-together gasket joints that eliminate the need for solvent welding on long mainline runs and maintain a reliable seal under field conditions.

UV Pivot Pipe

Center pivot pipe stays above ground season after season, exposed to direct West Texas sun for the full growing season and beyond. Standard PVC degrades at the surface under prolonged UV exposure, becoming more brittle over time and more prone to cracking when struck by equipment or handled during maintenance. Our UV pivot pipe is manufactured with additional ultraviolet degradation protection built into the compound, giving it better resistance to surface embrittlement over years of above-ground exposure.

Well Shroud: The Third Agricultural PVC Product

Well shroud pipe is used to encase the well casing above and below the pump setting, protecting the casing from damage and helping manage water flow at the wellhead. It is a specialized application that does not overlap with mainline or pivot pipe, but it is part of a complete irrigation infrastructure on farms that draw from groundwater sources, which is common across much of the High Plains.

Why Local Manufacturing Matters for West Texas Farmers

Western Ag has manufactured PVC pipe at our Plainview facility since 1977, and we supply farms across Lubbock and the surrounding region directly. That means more direct communication, regional product knowledge, and a team that understands the specific conditions West Texas irrigation systems face.

We are also one of the few remaining American-owned plastic pipe manufacturers in the country, which means our pipe is manufactured locally under the standards and quality checks our team manages every day.

Ready to Spec Your Irrigation Pipe?

Whether you are designing a new system, replacing aging mainline, or specifying pipe for a pivot system, our team can help you match the right pressure class, diameter, and pipe type to your operation.

Contact us today or visit our products page to see our full line of agricultural pipe specifications, or stop by our Plainview facility to talk through your project directly.