# Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) — Federal Whistleblower Protection Filing Deadlines by Statute

For Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), usc citation is 42 U.S.C. § 300j-9(i); filing deadline days is 30; covered industry is Drinking water safety; enforcement mechanism is Complaint filed with Secretary of Labor; Secretary investigates, issues an order on the record after notice and opportunity for agency hearing; private right of action is No; Secretary's order is appealable to U.S. Court of Appeals; Secretary or employee may enforce order in district court, recorded from its source on 2026-08-15.

- **statute short name:** Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
- **usc citation:** 42 U.S.C. § 300j-9(i)
- **filing deadline days:** 30 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **covered industry:** Drinking water safety _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **enforcement mechanism:** Complaint filed with Secretary of Labor; Secretary investigates, issues an order on the record after notice and opportunity for agency hearing
- **private right of action:** No; Secretary's order is appealable to U.S. Court of Appeals; Secretary or employee may enforce order in district court

## What the source says

> Any employee who believes that he has been discharged or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of paragraph (1) may, within 30 days after such violation occurs, file (or have any person file on his behalf) a complaint with the Secretary of Labor (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the "Secretary") alleging such discharge or discrimination.

## Source

- https://www.whistleblowers.gov/statutes/sdwa

Last verified: 2026-08-15. Review by: 2027-08-15.
Part of [Federal Whistleblower Protection Filing Deadlines by Statute](https://referencesource.org/whistleblower-filing-deadlines/).