Pipelines are engineering structures of varying degrees of complexity. Using pipelines made of polymer materials, applying protective coatings to the inner surface of the pipes, using modern and highly reliable pipeline fittings lead to a decrease in energy losses during movement of fluid, increase the service life of pipeline systems and, as a result, reduce the cost of their operation. Hydraulic calculation of pipelines at the stage of their design involves obtaining information about the roughness and resistance coefficients, as well as experimental studies of hydraulic compatibility of the materials used. The transition from traditional assessment of pipeline capacity to the filtration characteristics of the flow is proposed. The results of experimental studies on pipelines with different hydraulic resistances are presented.