Pressure Reducing Valve Buried Underground?

[JGPlumbing]

Is it normal for an PRV to be buried underground right after the water meter? It was buried in dirt maybe 6 to 8 inches on the way down to the main waterline to the house. The city water comes up to the water meter and makes a U turn back into the ground about 2ft or so, before it screws into the main waterline to the house. I had a problem with it cracking two years ago from freezing and replaced everything in that section and I now have another small leak at one of the treads that i fixed.

The one picture shows the issue i had two years ago. The other is the hole the meter and PRV go in.

Question: Can i remove this a put a straight pipe in, instead of this PRV in the middle. I do have a PRV in the basement of the house on the main water line. The water line does split and one end goes into the house and the other runs to a horse barn. I cant find a PRV in the barn.

Also, any suggestions on what to use to fill in the hole that is a good insulator and easy to remove, if i need to fix again. Mud is very hard to dig out in such a small hole down 2-3ft. Sand or gravel?

Thanks

 

[Geofd]

What is the water pressure in the barn,you can put a pressure gauge on a spigot and open it up, see what the pressure is at rest, then open a fixture and close a few times see what the gauge reads, I would use Styrofoam board insulation I would measure the circumference and get a hole saw not that was close cut a bunch,I did that to a window that eas covered by sheetrock,
The painted and screwed it to the foundation it makes a big diffemce

 

[JGPlumbing]

Last time i repaired this i only checked the pressure at the house and it was near the high end of the acceptable range, with the PVR installed at the meter and the one in the basement. I cant remember the pressure exactly, because it's been so long. I'll check this weekend at the barn and look to see if there is a PRV installed somewhere. I've never need to look for this until now. I've only had the property for a few years. Thanks for the reply.