The storm-damaged Waimanalo Gulch Landfill began accepting yesterday waste that needs to be disposed of, including a backlog of sewage sludge from city waste-water facilities on Oahu.

But Mayor Peter Carlisle said while the city aims to reopen the landfill to the public on Wednesday, that date is "not a certainty."

Carlisle called on Oahu residents to keep bulky items, such as sofas and mattresses, on their property pending a firm date for pickup.

Some residents have been piling bulky items on street corners for city pickup.

"The most important thing for us to stress right now is the cooperation of the public," Carlisle said at a news conference yesterday.

"If you have items that you are planning to put out for bulky waste, please do not do them now. … We are targeting sometime next week, but that is not a certainty."

Carlisle said there is a possibility the city will temporarily store bulky items at the PVT Land Co.’s construction landfill in Nanakuli for a couple of weeks, but "we’re not certain whether or not we have gotten to a point where we can say that is actually going to occur," he cautioned.

Carlisle said the city is moving "fervently, diligently and around the clock."

But he also said the city also wants to go slowly to make sure that not too much waste is put in the landfill to avoid damaging recent improvements.

Carlisle described the Jan. 13-14 storm that damaged the landfill as "unprecedented" and "unexpected," with more than 10 inches of rain over several hours.

Landfill operator Waste Management of Hawaii Inc. said it has met and is continuing to meet the deadlines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, including the completion of a new diversion channel.