This dataset includes the raw data of a survey of 536 local residents along two rural-urban gradients around Bengaluru, India. The dataset sheet presents respondents' socio-demographic characteristics (village, village stratum, gender, age education, religion, length of residence, caste, occupation). It then displays Likert-scale answers, ranging from 1 ("not important" to 5 ("very important"), on agreement about the importance of water-filled and dry lakes (shown on photographs) for the provision of the respective ecosystem services and disservices, based on their livelihood needs and experiences. It then shows the answers to open questions on challenges and management options regarding lakes. The complete method is described in: Plieninger, T., Thapa, P., Bhaskar, D., Nagendra, H., Torralba, M., & Zoderer, B. M. (2022): Disentangling ecosystem services perceptions from blue infrastructure around a rapidly expanding megacity. Landscape and Urban Planning, in press.