We have a black 1" HDPE water service line that's connected to the house pipe with a gray plastic (nylon?) threaded X barbed ftg and 2 hose clamps. It was installed in the late 1980s. For the past two years, the HDPE has split under the hose clamps and developed a leak. Fixing it entails trimming an inch or two off the HDPE to get past the split, and reattaching the barbed ftg. I know the barbed fitting is the culprit and need to find an alternate method/fitting because the exposed end of the HDPE gets shorter each time so I'm running out of exposed pipe. The HDPE pipe is about 1.25 OD and 1.03 ID. This doesn't seem to match published dimensions for HDPE so thats another issue. Nominal line pressure is about 70 PSI.

Is there a better way to connect HDPE that doesn't require special tools? Is the common gray nylon barbed fitting the correct fitting to use? Would a brass barbed ftg put less stress on the HDPE? Should I soften the HDPE with a heat gun before inserting and clamping the barbed ftg? Are there no compression fittings for HDPE pipe?

The plumbing guys at the hardware stores recommend a Sharkbite fitting, but I'm very skeptical of using it with HDPE.

I've tried to research it, but most of the info online is for 3" and larger institutional and commercial HDPE use; very little on residential applications