• Scenic Prince Edward Islandboardwalk on prince edward island image by catbird338 from Fotolia.com
  
  Prince Edward Island (PEI), the smallest of the provinces in Canada, is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. Its government provides rules and regulations for life on the island, including the installation of septic tank systems for businesses and residences not connected to a municipal sewer system. Part of that system involves sewer field tiles, which have their own specifications.
  
  

Setbacks

• The Department of Finance and Municipal Affairs of the PEI government issues rules concerning setback requirements for field tile systems. Those systems, which consist of a series of perforated pipes that distribute liquid from a septic tank to gravel-filled trenches, must be a minimum of 20 feet from the foundation of the residence. In addition, the field tiles must be at least 10 feet from any parcel boundary, 50 feet from any natural body of water and 50 feet from a well or any source of potable water. If the property adjoins a beach, then the field tiles cannot be any closer to the beach than multiplying erosion rate for the shoreline by 60 or 75 feet, whichever is greater. Finally, a site plan has to be prepared for any dwelling showing the location of the tile bed, the septic tank and the residence.
  
  

Sewage Disposal System

• The Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry governs the nearly 50 percent of Island residents who use a sewage disposal system with a tile field. On its website, it states that to prevent damage to the pipes, no one can drive or park over the system. Also, do not plant trees close to the tile field, as the roots will encroach on the pipes, causing problems.
  
  

Restrictive Covenants

• For private developments such as the Estates at Sandy Cove Canoe Cove on PEI, developers place restrictive covenants on the use of the property. All those covenants address the issue of a septic tank system, requiring that it be in full compliance with any and all government rules and regulations. In addition, the developer may place additional requirements, such as setting aside additional land for a second tile field or an alternative one in the event the first one fails.