Yep mine was also a bad seal but a fatter O-ring fixed that issue.
Our posts re bowls got me into action.
I cut the longer new bowl that I had obtained from a Kubota dealer, machined an insert to adjust to length and tapped 1/4" pipe thread to allow me to fit a ball valve to drain off water and crud that I would see in the bowl. This way my inline filter only needs to handle minute particles.
Over time I always find some water in the bowl that I guess is from condensation as I always double filter my fuel when filling up.
Tomorrow I change over to the new drain bowl, install new inline filter and oil change for the upcoming snow season.
Then install blower and front plow and chains.