It’s a safe space here: You can totally admit that you’ve peed in the shower before, even if it was an accident and just kind of, well, slipped out.  Sure, peeing in the shower isn’t something that usually comes up in dinner conversation or over brunch with friends, but anyone who’s human has likely let pee freely flow while bathing at least once in our lives. What if we told you that you could actually go pee in the shower, and not feel ashamed about that fact, from an ecological or health perspective?

That’s right: It turns out that peeing in the shower is not only pretty convenient, but it’s actually environmentally responsible too. The University of East Anglia in Norwich, England even created a “Go with the Flow” campaign that went mainstream in 2014 after two students estimated that peeing in the shower could save the campus 187 million gallons of water a year. So yes, it’s a way to help soothe some of that eco-anxiety, but keep in mind that if you’re showering in a communal space like a dorm or gym, peeing in there might not be the most sanitary idea.

However, if you’re letting your pee out in the shower at home, there’s nothing wrong with that health-wise. We’ll tell you why below. Just please remember to wash your legs afterward.

It can be more economical.

University of East Anglia’s experiment estimated that the new program would save the university over $230,000 a year in water costs. Your personal savings might not be that impressive (although who knows how much you pee), but who wouldn’t love to lighten up their utility bill by a few bucks each month?

It’s good for the environment.

According to administrators at University of East Anglia, “With 15,000 students at UEA, over a year we would save enough water to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool 26 times over.” Plus, that would mean that there would be less toilet paper waste in the sewage system, and therefore less cleanup needed.

It might be more hygienic than toilet paper.

Many public health officials have long wondered how toilet paper ended up as the cleanest standard for bathroom clean up. Dry paper just kind of smears things around and for people with vulvas, and not wiping carefully enough can introduce infection-causing bacteria into the urethra, potentially causing a urinary tract infection. That problem doesn’t exist of course in the shower, where clean water rinses everything down and out. Just be mindful not to get pee on your feet or legs or in open cuts, where bacteria from the urine could potentially be introduced.

It’s cleaner for your restroom, theoretically.

Peeing while sitting or standing near a toilet seat can cause drips, leaks or “mist” on the toilet seat. Add toilet paper to the mix and, well, that’s how you end up with gas station restrooms. There’s a reason that many countries outside America use bidets, toilet-like devices that squirt water for effective bottom cleaning.

It can help you prepare for the wilderness.

When’s the last time you peed in the wild? It’s not a skill many of us cultivate. Of course, it’s pretty seldom you need to employ the squat method, but if you ever are on a hike or camping trip and have a bathroom emergency, your morning shower sessions will make it that much easier to let it flow!

All camping jokes aside, if you’re going to pee in the shower or if it accidentally slips out, make sure you give your shower a very regular spritz with an all-purpose cleaner afterward to banish bacteria. And remember, you can try this at home, but not at the gym.

Before you go, check out our favorite workout recovery essentials: