TUCSON, Ariz. — To flush or not to flush, that is the question.

It's an old myth that we are all familiar with “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” As crude as it may be, as a tool for water conservation it is still used by many today, but good luck getting them to admit it.

Many people can think of a friend, grandparent, relative, etc., who lives by this old and seemingly unsavory creed. But are they putting themselves at any real health risk? After all, it is urine.

Dr. Wayne Peate, an associate professor at the University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health wrote in an e-mail that urine is usually sterile, meaning there should be no risk.

But what about over time, could bacteria grow in these porcelain petri dishes?

“I don’t know if there would be from the urine, fecal matter definitely,” said Don Harrington, bureau chief for epidemiology and disease control for the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Harrington acknowledged although sterile, there could be some sort of risk associated concerning contact with the “substances” and compared it to his bureau’s job of setting safety measures in swimming pools that have had contact with fecal matter (think Caddyshack’s Baby Ruth scene).

“It’s especially hazardous among young children due to their still building immune systems and their ability to get into anything, but I can’t think of or recall any kind of study that there has been (concerning the issue),” Harrington said.

The Pima County Health Department couldn’t be reached for comment on deadline, but their expertise deals with large scale mixes of the said “yellows” and “browns." So now that a health risk associated with the “mellowing substances” is still uncertain, is it worth it?

“From our (Arizona Department of Health Services) there must be a number of ways, say watering your plants differently, that can be more helpful than that,” Harrington said. “Ultimately I think the health risks would outweigh the (conservation) benefits and win the day.”

So what’s the general consensus on this theory?

“It’s gross,” said UA senior Matt Kissel about the practice. “My grand-mom will try and do that sometimes at our house and I always flush it, there has got to be better ways to save water without making the bathroom stink.”

Ultimately the best option for toilet water conservation is a low-flow toilet or even European style double-flush toilet, but those can be expensive to replace.

Here on The Cat Scan you can find a number of ways to conserve your own water without grossing out your visitors or roommates. Check out Green-Tips.