KNYSNA NEWS - Sleep-deprived and frustrated, residents of Narnia Village in Welbedacht are sounding the alarm over severe noise pollution from the nearby Tootletown Pump Station.
What was once a manageable hum has escalated into a 24/7 mechanical roar, prompting formal complaints, legal threats, and accusations of municipal negligence.
According to Colin Oeschger, Narnia Village resident, the noise from the municipal pump station has intensified to unbearable levels, forcing residents to launch a formal complaint against the Knysna Municipality for violating South Africa’s Noise Control Regulations.
“We’ve not had a full night’s sleep in over two weeks,” said Oeschger. “This is torture - and it’s not an exaggeration. The sound inside our bedroom exceeds 40 decibels, even with the windows closed.”
A history of ignored complaints
The pump station, originally operating for only a few hours per day when the estate was established, became significantly noisier following the expansion of the Eastford Reservoir. In 2020, a new, “quieter” pump was installed after complaints mounted - but the improvement was short-lived.
“Running a pump for 15+ hours a day without proper maintenance inevitably causes breakdowns and noise. This is not a resident problem - it’s a municipal planning failure,” said Oeschger, citing the overdevelopment of the Welbedacht area without corresponding infrastructure upgrades.
Over the past five years, Oeschger has sent dozens of emails, audio recordings and video evidence to municipal officials - largely to no avail. The few responses have reportedly been dismissive, with no site visits, no written updates, and no permanent solutions implemented.
Municipality responds - but residents remain skeptical
In a recent statement, Knysna Municipality confirmed that the pump schedule would be adjusted to operate primarily during daylight hours, after temporarily running 24/7 due to a water supply disruption caused by a break in the Salt River line.
"With reservoir levels now stabilised, we are in a position to modify the pumping times accordingly," said Knysna Municipality Communications officer Nwabisa Pondoyi. She added that the municipality also promises steps will be taken to enhance the soundproofing of the pump station.
The relief brought by the installation of a quieter pump in 2020 at the Tootletown Pump station in Narnia Village was short-lived as the over-used pumps malfunction continuously. The pumps have now reportedly been adjusted to operate primarily during daytime.
However, residents are unconvinced. “Soundproofing was discussed in 2020, and boards were supposedly delivered but never made it to the site. Nothing was ever installed. To now act like this is a new initiative is misleading,” said Oeschger. “Also, the current problem isn’t the structure - it’s the failing pump equipment making mechanical noise. No amount of ‘boarding up’ will solve that.”
Infrastructure neglect
At the root of the issue is what residents call a “frightening” lack of infrastructure planning. Since 2019, four new developments have sprung up in the area, but the pump stations and reservoirs feeding them have seen no meaningful upgrades.
“It’s not just this pump station. All of Knysna’s water and sewage pumps are overstretched and outdated. The system is collapsing, and we’re paying the price - with our health," said Oeschger. "The desired outcome is not to put the municipality in a bad light, but to find a resolve. If this means they have to manually switch off for now, so be it - until the next breakdown."
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