Every winter the water in the pipes freezes because of the frost, and we end up without water on the property. The pipe runs underground at about a meter depth. Can we relocate it higher, or is there a way to insulate the existing water supply without redoing everything from scratch?
You don't need to redo the entire water system because of frost. At a meter deep, water freezes because you need insulation - wrap the pipe in mineral wool or polyethylene foam about 5-10 centimeters thick, and if your budget allows, lay a heating cable right along the pipe (self-regulating cable is the most convenient - you turn it on when the cold starts and forget about it). You can also drain the water from the external part of the system for the winter if that doesn't interfere with your work schedule at the dacha.
Is the pipe plastic or metal? If it's a meter deep, that's not really deep enough for winter - mineral wool might not save you there, especially if you get serious frosts! I'd try a cable - a self-regulating heating cable along the pipe, it kicks in exactly when it gets cold, so you won't go broke on electricity. There's a cheaper option too - a regular one with manual on-off, you just clamp it to the pipe with clips and forget about freezing from October through April.
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