Eckington resident: "Potential DCWASA mystery work in my front yard--Has this happened to anyone else?"

See this message from an Eckington resident on R Street NE:
   

Potential DCWASA mystery work in my front yard--Has this happened to anyone else?

Last Thursday, May 9th, I found blue spray-painted markings on my front lawn when I left the house in the morning, marking the path from my water meter to the street. This was accompanied by blue and green spray-painted marks on the sidewalk for a distance of about four houses (though no one else's lawn was spray painted). I have no idea what its for, since I did not ask for any work to be done, and DCWASA already dug up the lead service pipes from the street to my water meter six years ago, with a horrible effect on my garden. I'm pretty worried that they are planning on repeating their performance, but now there is an ornamental tree and mature plantings in the potential path of destruction.   

DCWASA's customer service people said they know nothing about it--that they did not order any work. Miss Utility has no record of any work or marking being ordered. The mayor's helpline (311) told me only to call around to all the utilities to see what was happening. Verizon, Washington Gas and Pepco also had no record of ordering anything.  

Finally today, one helpful supervisor at DCWASA  called me back and told me that because blue marks the water lines and green the sewer lines, it may have something to do with DCWASA's Capital Improvement Program.  She says that (a)  their regular customer service people aren't told about it, and (b) DCWASA does not generally notify people before they do work as part of the CIP because affected residents deemed to have constructive notice of their plans through their website and town hall meetings.  Their website has no information that I can find.  

So now I feel like a sitting duck. Has anyone else had an experience like this? Any tips on who to contact to find out what is going on? Or tips on how to participate in the process so that I don't just have to sit here helplessly while they destroy my garden? Even though the city has  a right of way over our yards from the water meter out, there must be some rules limiting what DCWASA does and how. 

Any thoughts or pointers would be greatly appreciated. And apologies to those of you up on First Street facing a 2-3 year tunnel construction nightmare. This probably pales in comparison, but is fairly important to this house-proud gardener.