Giving new meaning to a 'pee break".

HOUSTON — The toilet that is part of the International Space Station’s new onboard water recycling system has been deactivated by “astronaut-plumbers” after sending more than a gallon of pretreated water into the water separator room, FloridaToday.com reported July 20.

Astronauts Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency and Mike Barratt of NASA began working on repairs for the $15 million urine-recycling toilet on July 19, replacing parts with spare parts stored aboard the space station, and then eventually deactivating it, Brian Smith, International Space Station flight director, is quoted as saying.

Repair work on the system was expected to continue July 20.

The station crew of six will use a second toilet in the Russian part of the station, and Shuttle Endeavour’s crew can use an onboard bathroom, the story said.