More than 50 percent of Mexican cities are on alert due to water shortages, Mexican legislature's Metropolitan Development Commission President Obdulio Avila Mayo said on Sunday.

Avila Mayo, a deputy from the ruling National Action Party, called on federal, state and municipal authorities to come to new agreement to halt the deterioration of water supplies.

From 2000 to 2005, drinking water supplies had fallen 5.5 percent, with 4.573 cubic meters of water available per resident, down from 4.841 meters, he said.

A total of 27 of Mexico's 55 towns are affected including Toluca, Leon, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Saltillo, Morelia, Monclova and Pachuca.

In some areas, there are only 20 liters of water available per citizen per day, when the national average is 300 liters.

According to Avila Mayo, 43 percent of water losses were due to leaks, and 72 percent of rainwater evaporates before it can reach aquifers.

Source: Xinhua