We use a Cistern, which gets its water from a well.
Using drip will save you on water big time. you can put it on a timer, to run at evening, or early morning when its cool.
drip kits are pretty cheap. as for possible leaks, usually not a problem, heck they are even used on plantations with thousands of trees.
there are also hoses with built in emitters , that cant be knocked out.
I have never had problem like you, with Ph. so have no experience with that. but adding all that organic bio mass, will do good for sure. eventually you will get your Ph down.