A pipe nipple insert and dip tube for use with a water heater having a pipe nipple, the dip tube including a pipe nipple insert and a tubular body. The pipe nipple insert includes an outer wall and a plurality of annular crush rings extending radially from the outer wall. An overlapping connection is included at a bottom of the pipe nipple insert and a top of the tubular body for connecting the bottom of the pipe nipple insert to the top of the tubular body, wherein either the bottom of the pipe nipple insert overlaps the top of the tubular body or the top of the tubular body overlaps the bottom of the pipe nipple insert.