Speak Up 4 Water was launched by former Deniliquin rice farmer Shelley Scoullar, who left irrigation due to high water prices.

"This all started about a year ago now with our absolute frustration that we weren't getting anywhere on the water front and nothing was adding up," Ms Scoullar said.

"Some of the decisions made around water policy didn't make sense to us.

"We need to know who owns water to know what's driving the decisions."

There has been significant debate between both NSW Water Minister Melinda Pavey and SFF Murray MP Helen Dalton over Ms Pavey's concern a public register could breach the privacy of farming families.

The Speak Up 4 Water online petition asks that phone numbers, emails and addresses be protected.

According to the online petition, the NSW Water register would publish required information of people who hold a water entitlement or apply for a water licence.

All corporations that hold water entitlements would be required to disclose the names of related corporations, directors and major shareholders including irrigation corporations.

It would be accessible online, searchable by the public but still protect privacy information and be backdated to 2006.

An interim Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) report into the Murray-Darling Basin market found that publishing identifying details would have negative consequences.

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Ms Pavey said the report reflected the view held by the state government.

"Water transparency is currently front of mind in our communities and we have created multiple platforms to improve it in NSW," she said.

"We need a governance framework that ensures trading rules and regulations are developed and implemented with a basin-wide perspective, and in close connection to the river system's physical characteristics."