The animal was stuck three feet down a shaft in Great Ellingham, near Attleborough.
RSPCA animal rescue officer Ben Hart was called to the scene after a member of the public found the animal.
The hedgehog stuck under the metre. (Image: RSPCA)
Mr Hart said: “A neighbour contacted us after going to check the water meter and finding the poor hedgehog.
“We have no idea how long he had been there, but he was stuck far underneath the plastic components of the meter.
“He’s incredibly lucky that someone happened to go to check the meter, otherwise he may well have died down there.
It is not clear how long he was down there for. (Image: RSPCA)
“I haven’t checked my meter for months so it was certainly a case of right time, right place in this scenario.”
It is believed the meter lid was loose and the hedgehog fell through the gap and then panicked, wriggling himself into a tight spot underneath.
Mr Hart added: “The water company wasn’t able to come out and help, so we were a bit stumped on how we would get him out without hurting him or damaging the meter.
The hedgehog was taken to RSPCA East Winch for treatment (Image: RSPCA)
“We used an old paint roller with the roller removed, taped up the metal frame so we didn’t injure the hedgehog and used it as a hook to scoop underneath him and lift him out.”
The rescue on September 6 took 90 minutes, with the hedgehog being removed safely and the meter was not damaged.
Mr Hart was concerned the hedgehog may have been dehydrated and malnourished after his ordeal, so he took him into the RSPCA’s East Winch Wildlife Centre, in King’s Lynn, for specialist care.