Water restrictions are officially in place in Golden as the city has declared a Stage 1 drought, joining a number of other cities in the metro Denver area.

The restrictions in Golden take effect Friday. The measures are proactive, the city said in a news release, and the city’s reservoir levels are near full. The restrictions are meant to preserve storage capacity in case of a prolonged drought.

“Current indicators show a concerning trend that necessitates action to protect our water supply for essential needs,” the release said.

Under the restrictions, residents cannot water their lawns more than two times per week, and are restricted to watering between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. Water leaks must be fixed within 10 days, drip irrigation is not allowed and neither is hand-washing of vehicles.

Hand watering, as long as an automatic shutoff nozzle is used, is allowed at any time.

Penalties for non-compliance will be addressed with progressive enforcement. Initial violators will receive a warning, followed by water service surcharges for continued non-compliance. Repeated or egregious violations could result in fines as large as $1,000 or potentially a discontinuation of water service.

Colorado saw a historically dry winter this year with record-high temperatures.

Many cities in the Denver metro area, including Denver itself, have already implemented water restrictions. Most other municipalities are in Stage 1 restrictions.