FORT ERIE, Ont. — Electricity is almost fully restored in Fort Erie, almost a week after the southern Ontario town was buried by a storm that dumped up to 30 centimetres of wet, heavy snow.

Numerous snow-laden branches fell onto power lines, severing electricity to some 15,000 customers served by Canadian Niagara Power.

The utility says all but 300 customers have their power restored and they should be back on line by the end of the day.

Fort Erie and Port Colborne residents, meanwhile, are being urged to boil their water and to have their well water tested before using.

Authorities say the power outages and the flooding caused by the melting snow may have affected the quality of water in private wells.

Residents are asked to bring water to a rolling boil for one full minute before washing food, making ice, juice, pudding or other mixes, drinking, gargling or rinsing dentures.