"Drop Odyssey: a serious game to understand the path of water

[Press release] - Published on September 8, 2025 in Press Corner, Science-Society

On Tuesday September 23, the Institut Européen des MembranesIEM) at the University of Montpellier will host the official presentation of "Drop Odyssey", an educational game dedicated to the water cycle and its protection. Designed by Julie Mendret, a renowned researcher at the University of Montpellier for her work on water, this serious game aims to raise awareness among young and old alike of the crucial issues surrounding water resources, from their capture to their return to the natural environment. The event will be attended by Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier, David Cornu, Director of theIEM, Lionel Torres, Director of Polytech Montpellier and Grégory Vallée, Director of the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole water authority.)

An immersive, educational game

"Drop Odyssey features Lézia, an exploratory water drop who guides players through the various stages of water treatment. In two fun modules, each lasting around 15 minutes, the game allows players to discover :

• Potabilization: from water collection to its treatment (clarification, disinfection, storage, distribution) to become drinkable.
• The wastewater treatment chain: from domestic use to discharge into the natural environment or reuse, via the various treatment processes (primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary).

Accessible to all, this game combines scientific rigor with a playful approach to better understand the invisible path each drop of water takes before it reaches the tap and after it's used.

Understanding and acting: water, a major challenge for the University of Montpellier

In addition to its fun aspect, "Drop Odyssey" meets a fundamental challenge: raising awareness of water conservation and innovative solutions for a sustainable future. This serious game is part of the University of Montpellier's long tradition of excellence in water research, supported by its internationally renowned institutes and laboratories, including theIEM and EPUM (École Pratique des Hautes Études de l'Eau et de l'Environnement).

The game's pedagogical objectives are clear:

• Identify the different sources of water pollution.
• Discover how water is collected, treated, purified and recycled.
• Raising awareness of emerging pollutants (PFAS, pharmaceutical residues).
• Emphasize the importance of reusing treated water (REUT) as part of a circular economy.

By placing research and education at the heart of this project, the University of Montpellier is asserting its central role in training and raising awareness of major environmental and societal issues.