[2][3] With the few thousand wells feeding the population of Mumbai tending to go dry during summer, the acute shortage of water resulted in protests by the local residents in June 1845.

Impoundment of Mithi River, 20 km (12 mi) north of Mumbai, was effected to store the rainwater from a catchment area of 18.96 km2 to create the Vihar Lake.

[2] The lake and its catchment are protected by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Sanjay Gandhi National Park Authority.

The seclusion, protection, and security provided under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park has ensured well wooded hill slopes and abundant natural regeneration.

[9] Limnological studies carried out by the Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur, India, in 1964, indicated an unstable thermal stratification in the lake waters.

Interrelation was attributed to fluctuations in the chlorophyll, pH and DO values and nitrates were generally absent on the surface and no sulphates were detected.

The National Institute of Oceanography, Goa who were also consulted stated that this phenomenon was not unusual and could have been caused by heavy rainfall and low tide.

Also, the Vihar Lake on the outskirts of Mumbai has been overflowing for the past few days and has flown into the Mithi River, which could be the reason for the water tasting sweet.