onventional method for supplying water for irrigation in India by canal networks has certain limitations such as huge seepage losses,
evaporation losses, land acquisition problems, thefts etc. To overcome these limitations canal network is replace by pipe network, if design
efficiently and can reduce significant amount of water losses; but Cost of pipe network is almost 70% of the total project. This cost can be
reduced by efficient and optimal design of piped irrigation network. In the present study design of the pipe distribution network has been
carried out using EPANET 2.0 and critical path method for Bakhari Distributary of Pench, Irrigation Project, and the respective cost has
been calculated. The design results obtained from critical path method have been optimized using linear programing and cost head loss ratio
method, and respective cost has been compared. Both techniques resulted in to a distinct reduction in the overall cost of irrigation water
distribution network over EPANET 2.0 based design. Total cost saving up to 18.64% has been achieved by using linear programing, whereas
17.81% using cost head loss ratio method for the design of present case study area. In cost head loss ratio method, a modified approach is
adopted to convert obtained optimized diameters of pipe into commercially available sizes of pipe. The methodology can be further extended
to large pipe irrigation networks to reduce the present canal losses, there by optimizing the water use.