18 March 2025

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has received an order for water treatment membrane filter modules from the OWJJ^*1 joint venture contractor for construction of a sewage treatment plant for the Jakarta Sewage Improvement Project (Construction Zone 1).
This order is the largest^*2 ever received by our company in the water treatment business.  

The Republic of Indonesia has the world's fourth-largest population (approximately 270 million people), and while the economy continues to grow, the capital’s Jakarta Special Region, with a population of over 10 million, has a low sewerage system coverage rate, which is causing serious water quality problems. To address the problems, the Jakarta Sewage Management Master Plan has been formulated, dividing the sewage treatment districts into 15 zones and promotes the development of sewage systems in stages.

In particular, in the first construction zone, which has a high population density and many commercial facilities, a sewage treatment plant^*3 is required, capable of treating a water volume of 240,000㎥/day (planned population: 1.24 million) under severe site constraints. For this reason, the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)^*4 was selected as the sewage treatment process because it saves space and achieves high treatment performance. We have received an order for PTFE POREFLONTM hollow fiber membrane modules^*5 as equipment for MBR.

Large sewage treatment plants are required to save space and reduce energy costs during operation. To meet these needs, in 2017 we developed and introduced to the market a larger product with 1.5 times the product length of our PTFE POREFLONTM hollow fiber membrane module, which is made of PTFE with high strength and flexibility. This product has been highly evaluated by customers, and the features of this product were also evaluated in this project, leading to the order.


■Outline of "PTFE POREFLONTM hollow fiber membrane module" ordered

Recipient	Jakarta Sewage Improvement Project (Construction Zone 1) Sewage Treatment Plant
Sewage treatment method	MBR
Volume of water treated	240,000㎥/day
Features	– For large facilities – Large-scale product with 1.5 times the length of the membrane module – Reduces space/electricity costs by about 30% compared to conventional products

We will continue to provide high-quality products and contribute to solving water treatment problems around the world and preserving the global environment.



*1 Joint Venture OWJJ
A joint venture formed by Obayashi Corporation  (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Kenji Hasuwa ), JFE Engineering Corporation  (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazuyoshi Fukuda), PT. WIJAYA KARYA (Persero), Tbk  (Head Office: Republic of Indonesia; President: Agung Budi Waskito ), and PT. JAYA KONSTRUKSI MANGGALA PRATAMA, Tbk  (Head Office: Republic of Indonesia, President: Umar Ganda )

*2 Conventional largest-scale project (treated water capacity: 200,000 ㎥/day):
Our press release on December 15, 2020:
https://sei.co.jp/company/press/2020/12/prs124.html

*3 For an overview of the Construction Zone 1, please see the press release of the joint venture OWJJ:
https://www.obayashi.co.jp/en/news/detail/news20230110_1_en.html

*4 Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
One of the "activated sludge methods" that are effective in purifying sewage and industrial wastewater. This method uses a filtration membrane to separate the treated water, in which microorganisms (activated sludge) have decomposed the organic matter contained in the wastewater, from the fine particles present in the wastewater and the microorganisms themselves.

*5 PTFE POREFLONTM hollow fiber membrane modules
Our proprietary porous material made of 100% PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), a kind of resin.
These are water treatment membranes that feature excellent qualities of POREFLONTM.

Features of POREFLONTM
– Chemical resistance: Capable of cleaning with chemicals (pH 0 to 14), including high-concentration alkalis.
– Fouling resistance: Excellent hydrophilic treatment makes it difficult for oil to adhere to the membrane surface and easy to remove, which enables its use for wastewater treatment mixed with oil.
– Durability: The material is resistant to breakage, shaking, and bending, allowing for long-term use.
– Permeability: High porosity results in excellent permeability and water treatment capacity.
– Official Web site: https://global-sei.com/poreflon/