IEUA’s Lab Escape Room Provides Education, Thrill, and Teambuilding Opportunities by Inland Empire Utilities Agency Jun 26, 2024 Member Submitted News The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA/Agency) recently facilitated a tour for ACWA Region 9 Board members who had the exciting opportunity to take part in the Agency’s Lab Escape Room activity. Participants stepped into a thrilling adventure where success was achieved through collaboration, sharp thinking, and a touch of scientific expertise to “escape” the clutches of “Evil Scientist Kevin” at IEUA’s Water Quality Laboratory. “Evil Scientist Kevin” devised a plan to contaminate the water supply, and it was up to the team to escape the lab within their allotted time and “alert” the authorities before it was too late. Decorative glassware, chemical reagents, and books on wastewater analysis not only enhanced the atmosphere but also provided participants with a tangible connection to the theme. Every detail mattered and helped transport participants to a world in which “Evil Scientist Kevin” was very close to completing his plans. Intense theme music and ambience lighting helped participants feel the sense of urgency to ensure they beat the clock as it quickly counted down before their eyes. To escape the lab, participants had to gather clues, solve puzzles, and crack the codes to all of Kevin’s locks. Every challenge was thoughtfully designed around the themes of wastewater and its analysis, ensuring a uniquely educational, challenging, and fun experience. ACWA Region 9 participants were able to successfully solve all puzzles and riddles to defeat “Evil Scientist Kevin” and escaped in less than half the time allotted! IEUA’s Water Quality Laboratory is integral in supporting the regulatory requirements of the Agency’s wastewater reclamation plants and the Groundwater Recharge Program. Approximately 20,000 samples are gathered annually and tested for various analyses with the help of IEUA Lab Scientists. In order to enhance tour experiences of the laboratory in a fun and interactive way that tests participants knowledge on wastewater, Milena Martinez, IEUA External Affairs Specialist and former Laboratory Assistant, designed the Lab Escape Room using real lab equipment to create the featured puzzles and riddles. Since 2019, IEUA has proudly conducted multiple tours that have included this now infamous Lab Escape Room. Participants are able to safely interact with chemical reagents and lab glassware with the use of proper protective equipment (PPE). When creating the experience, an authentic feel to the activity was imperative to ensure all participants felt they were escaping a working lab. Puzzles and riddles contain elements of wet-chemistry analysis such as color, pH, and microbiology. Documents such as Standard Operating Procedures and instruction manuals were also created to include both real standard methods of analysis and clues to various puzzles. Additionally, participants are able to work alongside lab staff as they prepare their tools for conducting analyses. The steps taken have been implemented and carefully curated to guarantee a challenging and fun environment. The IEUA Lab Escape Room has proven to be a great success. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, commenting on the creativity, challenging components, teambuilding opportunity, and just overall good fun of the activity. IEUA would like to thank ACWA Region 9 for their participation and enthusiasm and congratulate them for successfully “escaping” the lab! For information about how you and your team can tour IEUA’s Water Quality Laboratory, please contact Tonia Bouyakzan at tbouyakzan@ieua.org
