DENVER -- Get ready for another summer of tough water restrictions.

The water utility serving more than 1.2 million people in the Denver area announced its summer water restrictions on Tuesday, following many other cities and limiting lawn watering to twice a week.

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The Denver Water Board said Tuesday that even though we've had the blizzard of the century, the state is still under continuing drought conditions, and therefore it will implement a Stage 2 drought plan.

That means that starting May 1, homeowners and businesses can only water twice a week for 15 minutes in each sprinkler zone, with a maximum of eight zones. That regulation is more restrictive than it was last year, when, under the circle-diamond-square schedule, some homes could water three times a week.

Customers of the utility, especially those representing golf courses and the sod and seed industry, packed the Denver water board meeting room, arguing that they could be forced out of business because of strict drought regulations.

The board relaxed its strict ban on watering new seed and sod but delayed a decision on when homeowners can plant new seed and sod, 7NEWS reported.

Water board members said that they are entirely ruled by reservoir levels, and the system average is currently only at 43.6 percent of capacity.

The new restrictions mean that many homeowners will be able to keep their grass alive, but it won't look lush and green. The board also enforced tougher fines, so those caught violating the rules would pay even more than they did last year, 7NEWS reported.

Other details:

Even-numbered homes can water on Thursday and Sunday, odd-numbered homes can water on Wednesday and Saturday. Businesses, apartment complexes and common areas shared by homeowner associations can water Tuesdays and Fridays.
No watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and no watering on Mondays.
New seed and sod can be watered but only on designated watering days and only for 15 minutes in each zone.
Trees and shrubs can be watered with a hand-held hose on any day except Monday and only between 6 p.m and 10 a.m.
Fountains, waterfalls and ponds that have water shooting in the air cannot be operated.
Private and community pools can be filled.
Cars can be washed at home on your designated watering day, but only with a bucket and hose with a shut-off nozzle.
Restaurants will only serve water at a customer's request and hotels shall not change sheets more often than every four days for guests staying more than one night.
Golf courses, community parks and school playing fields can water on any day except Monday, but are subject to a water budget.

Since October, the board has banned outdoor watering of lawns except for athletic fields and golf tees and greens. Hand-watering has been permitted for flower and vegetable gardens.

The blizzard helped bring statewide snowpack, which supplies the bulk of the state's water, to 91 percent of the 30-year average. The snowpack is almost 1.5 times deeper than last year.

Because of the blizzard, Aurora city leaders amended a previous ban on planting Monday night to allow vegetable, flower gardens and xeriscaping, which uses less grass and more drought-tolerant plants. Aurora also will restrict watering to twice a week under the their water-use plan.

Now that Denver's and Aurora's water regulations have been announced, many other cities are likely to follow their lead with similar restrictions, 7NEWS reported.

However, there are some communities that aren't restricting watering at all.

On Tuesday, Louisville lifted its stringent water restrictions and are allowing residents to water their lawns and wash their cars when they want and however long they want. Thanks to a reservoir filled at capacity, Louisville homeowners are encouraged to conserve but if they choose to water their parched lawns three hours a day, they can.

Englewood, Erie, and Golden also are free of mandatory restrictions.