I can think of three things which could get noisy in that area. First would be the timing belt tensioner bearing wearing out. The belt wouldn't be noisy. Sometimes a water pump will get noisy when the bearing start to go. Last would be the rubber in the harmonic balancer/crank pulley slipping.

To check the balancer/pulley, draw a chalk line radially across the inner and outer parts of the pulley. Run the engine, stop the engine and see if the chalk marks on the two part still line up. If so, good. If not, you need a new balancer/pulley.

You could go to a place like Harbor Freight and get their mechanics stethoscope. With this you can apply the stethoscope probe right to the water pump, for example, and listen to the sound of the bearings up close and personal. It's harder to listen to the tensioner bearing since it is covered up. You could decide to replace the timing belt anyway and while in there check the tensioner.