NASA says Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques’ duties aboard the International Space Station recently included fixing a leaking space toilet.

The space agency says the crew had to spring into action last week after astronauts accidentally detached a connection point to the water system while upgrading a restroom in the U.S. portion of the station.

Spokesman Gary Jordan said in an email that about 9.5 litres of water leaked during the Feb. 1 incident and had to be mopped up with towels by the astronauts.

Saint-Jacques and American astronaut Anne McClain then installed a new enclosure in preparation for a new toilet system, which is set to arrive at the space station in 2020.

Jordan says the leak was stopped quickly with the help of flight controllers in Houston and doesn’t appear to have caused any damage.

Saint-Jacques, 49, arrived at the space station on Dec. 3 for a mission that is expected to last until June.

The Canadian Press