I live in southern Arizona so it gets pretty hot in the summer but we still get freezes in the winter. The owner before us put pvc pipe in the 100s of feet of piping under the ground that runs from the well to the horse stalls and outdoor pens. Since we have moved in we have had major issues with the pvc pipes that come out of the ground and are connected to the spickets or auto waterers. We have tried using steel pipes where it comes above ground but that just snaps the pvc where the steal meets pvc. It seems every 3-5 months we are replacing those pipes. When we can afford it I would like to rip it all up and put down appropriate materials. So considering where we live and the huge changes in temp that come along with that, What is the best pipe material and how far down should it be to avoid it freezing the month or so we have freezing issues and avoid breaking due to sun damage due to our super hot rest of the year.


Willow

You are not making the connections between the steel and PVC properly. We have the same situation here and the PVC seldom breaks where it connects to the steel.

Is PEX allowed in your area? Also your spickets and hydrants must be properly secured and stablized in the ground to prevent any user or abuse from bending them.. and breaking.

Best Wishes

Yes, I like PEX for variations in temps and it tolerates freezing temps well, cheap enough, you can join it with crimp or sharkbite, and it's continuous point to point.